Potential Second Chance
by Ivorycat
Summary: Little AU: Beginning of season 7 of Buffy and season 4 of Angel. If Buffy died during season 5 then who took her place as the slayer? Also Wesley, after getting Connor kidnapped, retreats LA and goes to Sunnydale where he could be given a second chance.
1. Chapter 1 Autumn

                                              POTENTIAL 

                                                SECOND

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: This story takes place at the beginning season seven of Buffy and season four of Angel. When Wesley was booted out of AI (he so had it coming) he went back to Sunnydale. Buffy's alive (yay) and if you're wondering how Angel gets back from the sea without Wesley's help... well, he never goes. I was just wondering, if Buffy died, who was the new slayer? If any of you know... don't tell me. You'll ruin my moment. Now on with the story.

                                                    CHAPTER 1

          Autumn Tucker sat at the foot of her bed, looking around her new room. There were still a couple of boxes she hadn't unpacked and she also didn't feel like unpacking them. Of course, she also hadn't felt like moving. Autumn's father had once again been given a promotion and transferred to a new location. The last time her family had to move it was from when she was seven, Los Angeles to New York. Now Autumn was back in California, but not huge LA California. It was tiny, dull, and insignificant Sunnydale.

          Sunnydale, could any town be smaller? Autumn hadn't stopped thinking that since her family had moved there a couple days before. It was like, if you walked down the block and turned you'd be back at your house. All right, maybe she was exaggerating a little but the place was still small. Of course, most former New Yorker fifteen year olds hated the slightest thought of small town living. Hopefully Autumn would survive it all.

          Finally she collapsed in her bed tired, as she had done most of her unpacking that day. She opened her eyes again to see that her room had gone pitch black, which was strange since she had fallen asleep at around four that afternoon. She couldn't' have been _that_ tired. Autumn climbed out of bed and touched the left wall near her door, reaching for the light switch. However, she couldn't find it. It was like the switch disappeared. Autumn just shrugged it off and headed out of the room. Her hall was also black dark. She even had to feel around the walls to get around.

"Mom! Dad! Jeff!" Autumn called, referring to Jeff as her older brother. She made her way to the kitchen. "Mom, did I miss dinner?" There was a note taped to refrigerator door. Autumn snatched it off, reading the following: Meatloaf and veggies inside.

Autumn shrugged and opened the door to the fridge. A hand suddenly reached out and grabbed her, pulling her inside and shutting the door behind her.

"AAH!" Autumn awoke screaming in terror, her long red hair practically stood on top of her head. She finally stopped screeching at the sound of her mother's voice.

"Autumn! Honey, did you get buried under a pile of clothes again?" Mrs. Tucker called.

Autumn sighed deeply. "No! Everything's fine." She collapsed onto her pillow with another sigh, staring at the Backstreet Boy's poster she'd hung high enough to reach the ceiling.

"Well, you'd better hurry up. You'll be late for your first day of school," her mom called again.

          Autumn quickly looked at her red and white alarm clock, which read seven twenty nine. She let out a whining moan and got out of bed. High school, that was one thing she was _sure_ she wouldn't survive.

          Jeff, Autumn's seventeen-year-old brother, parked in front of Sunnydale High School in his new convertible, which his parents had gotten him as for his seventeenth birthday. Autumn climbed out of the car right after Jeff. She stared up at the school. Not too cheesy, Autumn thought.

"Uh, are you actually going inside or are you going to stand out here in a daze all day?" Jeff asked, swinging his book bag's strap over his shoulder.

Autumn was jarred from her thoughts. "Oh, sorry."

          The two of them entered the building. The halls were crowded with other students, most just walking around, and a few chatting by lockers, and some by the water fountains. After retrieving their schedules and locker locks from the office, listening to rules and regulations that they already knew from their previous schools, and listening to a good luck on the first day speech Autumn and Jeff could finally head to classes. Jeff immediately abandoned Autumn. She wasn't too surprised. Her brother wasn't one for hanging with kids younger than him, even kids in his own family. Autumn headed in the opposite direction of Jeff, heading towards her new locker.

          Far down at the end of the hallway a tall, skinny girl with light shoulder length blonde hair was spinning in circles asking people for directions, a large, heavy book bag on her back.

"Excuse me. Excuse me," she kept saying to passing students, an obvious British accent in her voice. She twirled around to ask a girl with dark hair for information but accidentally fell back, compliments of the heavy book bag. "Oh, dear."

          She struggled to get up as Autumn made her way to that end of the hall. The redhead looked down at the blonde, seeing her trying her hardest to get back up but was no match for the overweight book bag. Autumn reached out her hand, taking the blonde by surprised. She eagerly took hold of Autumn's hand, allowing Autumn to pull her to her feet.

"Hey. Are you OK?" Autumn asked.

"Oh, yes, of course," the blonde replied enthusiastically. "Thank you very much." Autumn nodded with a smile. "You know, it's my fifth day in America and I can't get one bloody person in this entire school to give me simple directions to my homeroom. I mean it's enough I don't know my way around this dreadful country and that I'm carrying a ton of supplies around but I have to put up with such blokes as these. Can you believe it all? It reminds me of this chit I had to put up with back in middle school. I swear, the girl was positively awful—"

"Whoa," Autumn held up a hand to stop her. "Um, not that I don't love a good rant but most people tell me their name before they start a life story."

"Oh." The blonde girl had to chuckle. "I'm sorry." She held out her hand. "I'm Margaret Strider. I'm from London... obviously."

Autumn shook her hand. "I'm Autumn Tucker. I'm from New York."

"New York? Well, then you're new here, too," Margaret had to smile.

"Uh, yeah," Autumn admitted. "Not by choice."

Margaret shrugged. "At least you're familiar with the country."

Autumn laughed a little. "So what's your first class?" she asked, gesturing towards the schedule Margaret held in her hand.

"Oh." Margaret looked the paper over. "I have algebra one with a Mr. Johnson."

Autumn glanced at her own schedule. "Hey, cool, we've got first period together."

"I suppose that if we're going to go through this..."

"Might as well go through it together." Autumn nodded and both girls headed down the hall together. "I was talking to the vice-principal earlier. My record says that I'm oh, so anti-social and I have to talk to the freshman guidance counselor during my free period."

"Oh, dear. Is he some type of stiff?" Margaret asked.

"I don't know. I haven't met him, yet."

"You know. That anti-social thing is ridiculous. I've heard it a million times in London."

"I know," Autumn agreed, pulling a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I had friends at my old school... sort of."

          During her fourth period AKA her free period Autumn trudged towards the freshman counselor's cubicle. She saw that the counselor's back was turned, flipping through some files. Autumn slowly knocked on the wall of the cubicle. The counselor turned around, revealing to be Wesley.

"Oh, hello," Wesley greeted.

"Hi," Autumn returned the greeting timidly.

They stood in an awkward pause for a couple of seconds.

"Well, won't you sit down?" Wesley gestured towards a chair. Autumn smiled, sitting in front of Wesley's desk. Wesley sat behind his desk, removing the small amount of clutter. "You'll have to excuse me. It's my first day."

Autumn raised an eyebrow. What was it, annual first day for everyone she met?

"Yeah, I know the feeling."

"Well, what exactly is the problem... um, er..."

"Autumn," the fifteen-year-old supplied. "Autumn Tucker."

"Yes, right. Now, Autumn, what exactly is the problem? That is, what is bothering you?"

Autumn shrugged. "Nothing really. The vice-principal sent me here to talk to you about my anti-social habits."

"Is that all?" Wesley quickly changed the way he put that. "I mean is that troubling you?"

"Not really. I did have friends back in middle school, though."

"Really?" Wesley removed his glasses. "How many exactly?"  
  


The question caught Autumn off-guard. "Oh, you know. A couple. Study buddies. We went to wild parties, got tattoos, sold dr—" She stopped herself when she saw the glare forming on Wesley's face. "I was just kidding. It was rare when I even went to a birthday party, I hate needles, and drugs aren't good. I mean, they're _bad_. Really bad and you're a bad kid if you do them." Autumn gave him a sweet smile.

"I see." Wesley stood and moved around his desk, taking a seat on top of it, towering over the teenaged girl. "I don't think you have a real problem here, Autumn. You seem to be quite the bright one."

"Thank you."

"Now why don't you go enjoy your free period. I believe I've wasted enough of your time."

Autumn stood, heading out. "Thanks, Mr. Pryce. This has been... interesting. Bye now." She turned and left.

"Yes, I do love this job," Wes said to himself.

A/N: Parts of this story might be slightly AU like. I want you to know that I notice this so don't bite my head off. Please review.


	2. Chapter 2 Annoying Families

      POTENTIAL 

                                                SECOND

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: This story takes place at the beginning season seven of Buffy and season four of Angel. When Wesley was booted out of AI (he so had it coming) he went back to Sunnydale. Buffy's alive (yay) and if you're wondering how Angel gets back from the sea without Wesley's help... well, he never goes. I was just wondering, if Buffy died, who was the new slayer? If any of you know... don't tell me. You'll ruin my moment. Now on with the story.

                                                   CHAPTER 2

          Autumn entered the cafeteria a few minutes after talking to Wesley. She looked around until she saw a hand waving at her. The hand's owner was Margaret. Autumn formed a smile and walked over to the two-seated table Margaret was at by the window.

"Can you believe these tables only go as low as two seats?" Margaret asked as Autumn sat down. "God, it's like they expect everyone to have someone to sit with."

"Yeah, it's a conspiracy," said Autumn, taking of her book bag and pulling a lunch carrier out of it.

"You don't buy your lunch?"

"Gross, never," Autumn replied, taking food out of the carrier. "You never know what they have in the cafeteria. Some old lady could drop her hair net in your food. Can you say icky?"

Margaret giggled a little. "Well, it was the chocolate pudding, cake, caramel apples, and brownies they were serving for desserts that lured me."

"So which one did you..." Autumn looked at Margaret's tray only to see that she had gotten all of the desserts she named. "... Pick?"

"You know, my parents don't let me eat sweets," said Margaret, picking up her cup of pudding. "They say it makes me hyper." She took a spoonful of pudding and stuck it into her mouth. "Oh!"

"What is it?" Autumn asked, startled at the sudden exclamation.

"This stuff packs quite the chocolate punch."

"Gee, I wonder where you parents got that hyper theory from," Autumn mussed sarcastically.

"You know what these desserts need?" Margaret asked. "Some coffee. I swear, what kind of bloody school doesn't have coffee? In London we swore by it. My uncle doesn't let me go near the stuff. You know, I think my entire family is set out to ruin my American experiences."

"Well, there _is_ a starbucks down the street, Margaret."

"Really? I think I just found myself a second home. Oh, and, Autumn, please call me Maggie. Margaret is for my stiff of an uncle."

Autumn nodded. "He sounds like the guidance counselor."

Both girls shared a giggle.

          Jeff dropped Autumn off after school and drove off to hang out with some friends. Autumn went into the house, locking the door behind her. Her mother walked up to her then. Mrs. Tucker had light brown hair, Mr. Tucker had dark brown, and Jeff had black. Why was she the only redhead in the family?

"How was school?" Mrs. Tucker asked. "Meet any new friends, get invited to any raging parties, see any hotties?"

Autumn felt like gagging at her mother's weak attempt to sound cool. "School was fine. But besides the "raging parties" I have homework. So I'll be upstairs."

          Autumn went pass her mother, up the stairs, and shut the door to her bedroom. She sighed deeply taking off her book bag. Autumn practically fell into her bed. Raging parties, hot boys, what was her mom thinking? What planet did she come from, the sixties? All she'd gotten from school was a collective headache and some homework.

          She didn't feel like taking all night with the light assignment she had so Autumn began taking her pencil and algebra book out of her book bag and started the work. Autumn lay stretched out on her bed, on her stomach, going over math problems for over an hour. She was so bored with it that she began to drift off a little. A few minutes later Autumn heard what sounded like heavy breathing coming her way. The breathing was strange. It was deep and struggling, making Autumn's heart beat. She suddenly popped up with a gasp, looking at Jeff who had just entered the room. Autumn released a relieved sigh.

"Oh, hey," Autumn greeted slightly dry. "When did you get home?"

"A couple minutes ago," he replied. "What's your problem?"

"Um, annoying older brothers coming into my room when they're not invited?"

"Look, I just came to tell you that dinner's almost ready and Mom says to wash up." Jeff left out muttering under his breath, "Bite sized freak."

"I'm home," Margaret called, entering her house. She looked around the living room. She eyed a cup of coffee she held mischievously. "Guess know one's—" Margaret turned around and saw Giles standing there. She nearly jumped out of her skin from the shock. "Oh, you scared me."

"I see you're home," said Giles. "How was the first day?"

"It wasn't exactly a joyous occasion but I endured it."

Giles noticed something then. "Is that coffee?"

Margaret looked down at her hand, seeing the portable starbucks's cup she still held. "Oh, this? Of course not. It's... a new health drink at Starbucks. Quite refreshing. You should try it some time."

Giles took of his glasses, a little anger on his. "Margaret," he extended the girl's full name. "You know my rules about coffee. You'll be up the entire night now."

Margaret sighed. "Oh, Uncle Rupey, you are so not fun. We're in America now. Living it up?"  
  


"Yes, well," Giles took hold of her coffee, "We still have rules in this household. Now go tend to your homework."

Margaret gave him a smirk. "Spoiled sport." She left the room.

          Autumn played with a baby-sized tomato on her plate, rolling it around with her fork. She held her face in her other hand, her elbow on the table. The entire family had been silent during dinner. Mrs. Tucker decided to break the ice a little.

"Autumn, I got a call from the school today." Autumn looked up from her plate. "Now I don't think it's too serious but your vice-principal told me he sent you to the guidance counselor. Is anything wrong?"  
  


Autumn's eyes nearly widened. "What? Oh, come _on_."

Jeff sniggered, taking a sip of his milk. "It's about time someone sent you to a shrink."

"Zip it, punk," Autumn snapped irritated.

"Autumn, Jeff, that's enough," Mr. Tucker interjected. "Autumn, all your mother wants to know is what's going on."

"Dad, there is nothing going on," Autumn said defensively. "I can't believe he even called about something like this. All I had to do was talk to a British guy about being anti-social. So what?"

"Oh, dear, not this again," Mrs. Tucker said worriedly.

"Well, what do you expect?" said Jeff. "To be social someone would actually have to consider ruining their reputation to be _her_ friend."

"Shut it up, moron," Autumn retorted.

Jeff started, "Kiss my—" 

"Enough," Mr. Tucker said firmly, slamming his hand on the table. "I won't tolerate this bickering."

"Hey, I didn't start it," said Autumn, shooting a killer glare at Jeff.

"Autumn, honey, all we're saying is that you need to start making friends at school," said Mrs. Tucker gently. Maybe Jeff can introduce you to some people."

"Yeah, that'll happen," said Jeff sarcastically, playing with his vegetables.

"Just shut up!" Autumn shouted with thunder in her voice. She banged her fist down on the table so hard parts of the wood broke off. "Oh, no."

"Oh, Autumn," Mrs. Tucker reprimanded lightly.

"Klutz," Jeff said to himself.

"Autumn Eliza, go to your room," said Mr. Tucker severely using her first and middle name.

Autumn glared at the people at the table. "Fine!" she hollered. 

          She practically jumped up from the table, stormed out of the room, and stomped up the stairs. Autumn slammed her bedroom door so hard the doorknob pulled loose a little and a couple of picture frames fell from her wall. She picked up the pictures with a confused look on her face. Autumn usually got stronger when she was angry but not that much stronger. She hung the pictures up again and laid down on her bed, burying her face in one of her pillows.

          The next thing Autumn knew she was asleep and dreaming again. She awoke to a dark room, much like the previous night's dream. Autumn heard what sounded like crashing coming from outside. She made her way over to the window, peering out of it. At first she saw nothing but her backyard but suddenly a boy, good looking and appeared to be her age or older, popped up in the window, startling Autumn.

"Who are—" Autumn started to ask.

"Ready for me?" he interrupted, staring at her closely with his piercing blue eyes.

"What?"

"Catch you later." He planted a kiss on her lips and suddenly vanished into thin air.

Autumn jumped up in bed. She felt her lip and smiled to herself. "_That_ was no nightmare." Autumn laid back down and went to sleep.

A/N: Yes, this chapter confuses even me. I know you guys have questions that _will_ be answered. Also I know you guys are dying to know about the Margaret and Giles situation. Don't worry. Things will be explained.


	3. Chapter 3 Dreams or Nightmares?

      POTENTIAL 

                                                SECOND

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: This story takes place at the beginning season seven of Buffy and season four of Angel. When Wesley was booted out of AI (he so had it coming) he went back to Sunnydale. Buffy's alive (yay) and if you're wondering how Angel gets back from the sea without Wesley's help... well, he never goes. I was just wondering, if Buffy died, who was the new slayer? If any of you know... don't tell me. You'll ruin my moment. Now on with the story.

                                                    CHAPTER 3

          Maggie (Margaret) jogged down the stairs that morning, clad in a blue blouse with oversized sleeves and light blue jeans, her blonde hair nicely curled. She entered the kitchen and saw Giles sipping a cup of coffee. Maggie felt he was teasing her with the delicious cup of Joe he held. It just looked _so_ tasty that she had to fight off all urges to snatch it out of his hand.

"Good morning, Uncle Rupert," Maggie greeted.

Giles looked up. "Oh, hello, Margaret." The girl hated the sound of her full name but dealt with it. "Don't forget that I'll be at Buffy's house for most of the day so you're to go there right after school."

"You know, Uncle Rupert, I don't need a baby-sitter." She grabbed a bagel out of the breadbox and began slicing it in half. "I'd be fine staying at home until you got back."

"Margaret, we've been through this. Your parents gave me regulations that I must abide by."

Maggie shrugged. "A fun uncle wouldn't."

Giles picked up the nearby newspapers. "Finish your breakfast and get ready for school."

"Fine," Maggie sighed, smearing cream cheese on the bagel's halves.

          When the bell for second period rang Autumn practically stuffed herself in her tall locker, dozed off. She wore a multi-colored long sleeve blouse, crisp white pants, a red belt, and white K-Swiss shoes. She felt a tap on her shoulder, taking her away from dreamland, and making her jump slightly. Autumn stuck her head out of the locker to see Maggie standing there. Autumn blushed slightly.

"Uh, hey," she greeted the British girl.

"Hello, Autumn." Maggie stared at her closely. "God, you look positively awful."

Autumn got out of the locker entirely. "Thanks," she said dryly.

"Oh, that's not what I meant. I mean you look weary. Are you all right?"

"I haven't been sleeping well. Every time I close my eyes something... weird happens."

"Oh? Like what?" Maggie asked, leaning against someone else's locker, hugging one of her schoolbooks close to her chest.

"Well," Autumn took her English book out of her locker. "Last night I had this dream that some guy kissed me."

Maggie seemed interested then and formed a mischievous smile. "Was he hot?"

"Hot?" Autumn thought back to her mother saying that and cringed. "Why do people still say that? What happened to cute?"

"Answer the question," Maggie urged.

Autumn smiled. "He was yummy, Maggie. But I barely saw him. All I got a good look of were his eyes."

"How was the kiss?" Maggie wanted to know.

Autumn felt uneasily. "Well... it... I..." She shook her head, going back to reality. "Oh, Maggie, it was a dream. How do you rate a dream kiss?"

"Well, I don't know. My parents wouldn't let me go near a boy in London unless he was all prim and proper. Would you like to have that dream again some time?"

Autumn smiled with a blush. "I don't know... maybe. It's not like a going to school naked kind of thing. It was just nice."  
  
Maggie smiled brighter. "Nice, huh?"

Autumn wanted desperately to change the subject. "You know, this school is huge. I'm still lost in it. Like where's room 210? That's my English class."

"Oh, I know. I have that period now, too," said Maggie, not at all noticing that Autumn had changed topics. Maggie looked around for someone who might help out with directions, for once.

"Uh, can I get to my locker please?" Maggie hadn't noticed a tall girl with long dark brown hair walk up to them. She had a beautiful face and looked to be Mexican.

"Oh, sorry," Maggie apologized, moving aside.

The tall girl just sighed annoyed and opened her locker door.

"Excuse me," said Autumn. The girl paid no attention to her. "_Excuse_ me!"

The tall girl finally looked at her. "Um, sorry, are you addressing me?"

"Well, yeah," said Autumn. "Do you know where room 210 is?"

The girl looked ready to burst with laughter. "Oh, let me guess. You two are freshman, right?"

"Yes," Maggie replied. "So?"

"And you talk like little freshies, too," the tall girl sighed. "Well, lucky for you I just happen to be going that way."

"You're going to room 210?" Autumn asked confused.

"That's right."

"How old are you?" Maggie asked.

"What is this, twenty questions? I just turned sixteen, my name is Jessica Porter, my eyes are brown, and, if you're wondering, I use body fantasy conditioner to get my hair this shiny. Is the interrogation over now?" she asked defensively.

"Sor_ry_," said Autumn with a roll of her eyes. "But if you're sixteen why are you going to a freshman class?"

"Gee, I just loved freshman year so much that I decided to repeat it. OK? That answers all your little freshy questions?" Jessica asked smugly.

"Sorry again," Maggie muttered.

"Just come on," Jessica ordered. "I don't want you to keep asking me for the class, anyway." She moved on ahead of them.

Autumn turned to Maggie. "Aren't the wanna be sophomores so sweet?"

Maggie giggled.

"Hey, freshies, move it!" they heard Jessica shout.

Maggie and Autumn shared a perplexed look and followed her down the hall.

          The girls all sat in their English class, Maggie sitting next to Autumn in the second row. There were four rows in all and Jessica sat behind Autumn in the third. Autumn listened to the English teacher, Mr. Roland, go on and on about the fun and regulations of his class, and Autumn noticed there were way more regulations than fun. His, dry, dull talking bored Autumn so much her eyes began to close slowly. She managed to wake up again before anyone could notice. Mr. Roland was still talking about the same things. Autumn felt someone tap her on the arm, sitting next to her.

"Excuse me," came a male voice. "But can I borrow some paper for notes? I left mine in my locker."

Autumn nodded, not even looking at the boy. She took a couple of sheets of paper from her loose leaf and turned to hand it to him. Autumn looked horrified at the sight she saw. The boy's face was decaying and the top of his head looked to be boiling over with blood. Autumn released a terrified scream. The boy suddenly reached out and grabbed her boy the throat.

"Shut up, you stupid bitch," he ordered.

Autumn continued to scream through the choking.

          Maggie and the entire class looked over at her. Autumn stilled screamed but there was no head on her throat. And the boy sitting next to her was just a regular boy with glasses. Autumn screamed so hard it looked as if she were insane. She fell out of her chair then, still bellowing out of control.

"Autumn!" Maggie cried. Students began to surround her. Maggie got down to the floor on her knees and shook Autumn. "Autumn, come on, snap out of it." Maggie shook Autumn's arm vigorously but the girl continued her screaming. "Autumn, relax! Please!"

Autumn all of a sudden realized that she was OK and quieted, touching her neck.

Maggie sighed with relief.

Students began to murmur among themselves.

"What's with her?"

"Is she crazy?"

"What kind of drug is _she_ on?"

Autumn sat up on her knees and put her head into her hands, crying, but not loud enough to be heard.

Maggie patted her back gently.

"Young lady, is everything OK?" Mr. Roland asked. "I don't tolerate disruption in my class."

Autumn shook her head. "Everything's not OK," she whispered. "I don't feel well."

"Would you like to go to the nurse's office and call your parents?" Mr. Roland asked.

Autumn nodded, her head still in her hands.

Mr. Roland wrote her a quick hall pass and Autumn exited the class as quickly as possible.

"God, freshman," Jessica said to herself. "The pressure is on."

Maggie watched Autumn leave, a worried expression on her face.

          Autumn walked down the halls at school, a few tears escaping her eyes. She managed to wipe them away but still felt awful. What was going on? Every time her eyes closed something went wrong. Autumn made her way towards the nurse's cubical but found it empty.

"Pardon me?" Autumn turned and saw a woman at a desk talking to her. "Who are you here to see?"

"Um, the nurse," Autumn replied. "I need to call my parents to pick me up. I don't feel well."

The woman's face softened. "Oh, please, sit down. The nurse should be back soon."

Autumn nodded taking a seat that was right outside the nurse's cubical.

          The teenager waited a couple of minutes for the nurse to come back. She looked over at the cubicle next to the nurse's and saw on the door "W. Pryce" printed on the outside wall. Autumn hesitated for a moment then got up and entered the cubicle. Wesley sat at his desk doing some paperwork.

"Um, Mr. Pryce?" Autumn called out softly.

Wesley looked up. "Oh, hello, Autumn. It's good to see you again."

"You, too." Autumn gave him a small smile.

"Please, sit down." Autumn abided, sitting down in front of his desk like she'd done the last time. "How can I help you?"

"Well... I... have you ever... had things go normal one moment and bizarre the next?"

Wesley raised an eyebrow. "Well, yes, but I'm afraid I don't quite understand what you mean."

"It's so hard to explain." Autumn sighed. "You know what? I should be bothering you with this." She stood. "I'll just—"

"No, no," Wesley urged. "Sit down. I mean, I _am_ here to help the students."

"All right." Autumn sat down with another sigh. "But it is hard to explain. Plus it's weird."

Wesley shrugged. "Try me."

"Well, OK. Lately I've been having these _psycho_ dreams, heavy on the psycho, and I don't know why."

"Really?" Wesley took off his glasses and began cleaning them with a tissue from his box. "What kind of dreams."

"The first one I had was a while back. I dreamed I was in this cemetery and then this thing jumps out at me."

"What sort of thing?" Wesley asked.

"It had this weird bumpy face, some _long_ teeth, and it looked... well, dead."

Wesley became strangely interested. "Oh, really."

"Really. And today I dreamt that one of my classmates was... gross. He had a weird face. It was rotting and it made him look like a—"

"Zombie?" Wesley cut in.

Autumn nodded. "Yeah, one of those." Wesley practically froze in his seat. "Mr. Pryce? Are you OK?"

Wesley snapped out of it slowly. "Oh, yes, of course. Now this first dream you had... when did it occur."

Autumn shrugged. "A few months ago I think. Why?"

"But it was before the summer, right?"

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, it happened right _before_ summer vacation."

Wesley turned slightly pale. "Would you excuse me for a moment?" Autumn nodded. Wesley stood and left out of the office. He went into the hall and made his way to the pay phones, putting in the necessary coins, and dialing a number.

          Buffy and Willow were in Buffy's dining room, Willow typing away at her laptop, trying to find new information on their latest demon. Xander stood, peering over Willow's shoulder, eating a bowl of cereal.

"Any luck, Will?" Buffy asked.

"I think," the witch replied. "You just gotta give google it's time. It has to... google enough."

The phone rung then. Xander sat down his cereal bowl and went into the kitchen and picked up the phone.

"Hello?" he greeted. "Oh, hey, long time no hear. Hang on a sec." He covered the mouth of the phone. "Buffy, phone!"

Buffy walked into the room a moment later. "Who is it?"

"Wesley," Xander replied.

Buffy's eyes widened somewhat. "Wesley Wyndham-Pryce?" Xander nodded, handing her the phone. "Hello, Wesley? Is everything OK? Is Angel—"

"Buffy, good," Wesley cut her off on the other end. "Listen, you did die before the summer, right?"

"Uh, right," Buffy replied.

"Are you sure?" Wesley asked.

Buffy looked confused. What was he, stupid? "Yes, Wesley, I'm pretty sure. I mean the heavenly lights kind of gave it away."

"Oh... right. Goodbye then." Wesley hung up his end of the phone.

Buffy looked at the phone, perplexed, when she heard the dial tone. She hung it up.

"Is everything OK?" Xander asked.

"Yeah," Buffy replied hazily. "Wesley's just lost it a little."

Xander shrugged. "So what else is new?"

          Wesley, flustered, returned to the office and went back into his cubicle, seeing Autumn still waiting patiently. Wesley sat behind his desk and cleared his throat.

"Oh, you're back," said Autumn.

"Yes, and I believe you and I have something to discuss," he said. Autumn looked attentive. "Sometime serious."

Then she looked completely worried.

A/N: I tried to make this chapter long enough for you. Also if you still have unanswered questions, don't worry. They will be answered. Please review.


	4. Chapter 4 Freaking Out

      POTENTIAL 

                                                SECOND

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: This story takes place at the beginning season seven of Buffy and season four of Angel. When Wesley was booted out of AI (he so had it coming) he went back to Sunnydale. Buffy's alive (yay) and if you're wondering how Angel gets back from the sea without Wesley's help... well, he never goes. I was just wondering, if Buffy died, who was the new slayer? If any of you know... don't tell me. You'll ruin my moment. Now on with the story.

                                                   CHAPTER 4

          Wesley and Autumn sat staring at each other, eyes locked, as if they were both trapped in silence. Autumn had listened to the rugged looking guidance counselor, which was difficult with her short attention span, and it was like he talked in gibberish. The stillness around them wasn't exactly awkward, more like comprehensible

"This is crazy!" Autumn suddenly exclaimed, banging a fist on Wesley's desk, breaking the strange quiet.

"A normal reaction," Wesley said calmly.

Autumn popped up from the seat. "This is all really... neat but I don't have a clue about what you're saying."

"You're awfully high strong about this."

"What is this slayer thing? I've never even heard of it."

"I'm telling you, Autumn, you are the next slay—"

Autumn held a hand in the air, indicating for him to stop. "Don't finish that sentence."

Wesley also stood. "Autumn, sit down. We must talk about this."

"Listen, there is nothing to talk about."

The woman from the main desk appeared in Wesley's cubicle. "Autumn, the nurse can see you now." She left out again.

Autumn turned back to Wesley. "I'm sorry to disappoint you but you obviously have the wrong girl. Anyway, I have to go home. My head is killing me and you haven't made it any better." She turned and departed the cubicle.

Wesley sighed deeply, sitting back down.

          The nurse let Autumn call her parents and her father would be over quickly to pick her up. After gathering her stuff Autumn sat outside the bench in the office, waiting on her dad, her book bag sitting next to her. Autumn heard a bell go off and classroom doors flew open, releasing students. Maggie moved through the crowd up to Autumn.

"Hey, Autumn," Maggie smiled. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Autumn released a sigh. "I'm hoping."

"What happened to you back there?" Maggie asked, her face going from adorable and perky to serious.

Autumn shook her head. "I don't even know how to explain it. I just—" Autumn looked over to see her mother at the front entrance. "Uh, Maggie, I have to go." Autumn let her book bag hang from her shoulders. "Can I call you tonight?"

"Sure," Maggie nodded.

Autumn headed over to her mother. "Mom, what are you doing here? I thought Dad was coming."

"Your father had something to do at the last minute," Mrs. Tucker clarified, a firm look on her face. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. But I'm kind of sick. Why would Dad say he'd be here and then not—?"

"Autumn," her mother cut in. "He just couldn't make it, plain and simple. Come on." Mrs. Tucker turned on her heel and left out.

Autumn quickly caught up with her.

          The car ride home was pretty silent. Autumn wondered what was really up with those dreams, what Wesley had been babbling about, and why her father would just dump her off. Her father was the least of Autumn's worries, though. Autumn stared out the window, looking at Sunnydale pass by. There wasn't exactly much to see.

          Maggie approached the Summers house when she was finally released from the torments of school. Sadly, she hadn't had time to stop off for coffee, as she guessed that Giles was timing her getting home. When Maggie rung the bell she honestly couldn't believe whom it was. Giles looked at her from inside.

"Now that's just creepy," Maggie muttered.

"What did you say?" Giles asked.

"Oh, nothing." Maggie chuckled a little.

          Giles allowed Maggie in the house and led her to the dining room, where they saw Buffy, Willow (at her laptop), and Xander all sitting around the table.

"Everyone, you remember my niece, Margaret," Giles introduced as if he was presenting the queen.

Everyone greeted her at the same time.

"Hello again," Maggie waved, slightly discomfited. "Oh, and, please, it's Maggie, not Margaret. You know except for when I'm in trouble." She laughed madly. The room exchanged the same glanced and clearly shared the same thought about the excitable girl. "Oh, yes, well..." Maggie just took a seat, closing her mouth as Dawn entered.

"Hi," Dawn addressed, sitting her book bag down. "You will not believe what happened in school today. It's all over."

"What is it, Dawn?" Buffy asked concerned.

"Some girl freaked out in her History class, screaming like she completely lost it or something," Dawn told the story.

Buffy grimaced a little, thinking that the story had something to do with the Hellmouth.

"Actually it was English class," Maggie piped up, looking down at the table. The entire room looked at her. "Uh, so I hear."

"You know, I got a call from Wesley today," Buffy said. "He was acting weird and asked if I really died."

"Maybe all that tweed he wears has finally made him crack," said Xander, looking over Willow's shoulder at the laptop's screen. "I mean can you imagine anything dorkier to put on every d—" Xander stopped when he caught a slight glare from Giles. "Even though it _is_ the latest thing."

A/N: This chapter is short and cruel. Feel free to sue me. Please review.


	5. Chapter 5 What is a Slayer?

      POTENTIAL 

                                                SECOND

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: This story takes place at the beginning season seven of Buffy and season four of Angel. When Wesley was booted out of AI (he so had it coming) he went back to Sunnydale. Buffy's alive (yay) and if you're wondering how Angel gets back from the sea without Wesley's help... well, he never goes. I was just wondering, if Buffy died, who was the new slayer? If any of you know... don't tell me. You'll ruin my moment. Now on with the story.

                                                   CHAPTER 5

          Autumn lay down in bed for the rest of the afternoon, going into the evening. She hadn't even gone down for dinner, as she hadn't felt like a crowd. That's just the way she was. When Autumn was in a bad mood or just stressing out she did not want to be anywhere near anyone. She wasn't exactly a cold loner or anything but groups of people mixed with depression was a disease to her. Autumn rolled over in bed for the millionth time that day. She just had to keep from going to sleep even though she was drowsy, not to mention hungry.

"Maybe Mom saved some leftovers," Autumn thought softly, sitting up. She left out of her room. When she got to the stairs Jeff was sitting at the top of them. "Uh, what are you doing."

"Shush," Jeff hissed.

Autumn sat down next to him, confused.

          Then she heard it. It sounded like cats were screeching downstairs. Autumn leaned in closer, pushing her red hair behind her ears to be sure to get a good listen. It was her parents. It sounded as if it were coming from the living room.

"What the hell is wrong with you? I work in this house all day and you can't even be home in time to eat?" Autumn and Jeff heard their mother shout.

Their father quickly retorted. "Get off my case, dammit! I work all day and all night so excuse me if I don't have time to bite into that damn spoiled food you call yourself cooking."

"What is the matter with you? You couldn't even pick up your own daughter from school and you knew she was sick!"

"I got another call!"

"And that was more important than Autumn?"

"How the hell do I know? Maybe it was! My life doesn't revolve around _you_ and these fucking kids!"

Autumn flinched. "What the... how long has this been going on?"

"Dad just got home. He missed dinner," said Jeff.

"Well, so did I," Autumn tried to reason. "You don't see Mom throwing some fit over me."

"You don't get it do you?"

"Get what?" Autumn looked confused.

"God, you are so stuck in your own world," Jeff grumbled, getting up. He headed for his room.

Autumn went after him. "Jeff, hold on. Wait."

He just closed the door in her face.

Autumn scowled and went back to the top of the stairs.

She heard what sounded like something breaking.

"That did not belong to you!" Mrs. Tucker hollered.

"I bought it with my fucking money and I'll break whatever the hell else I want."

Something else crashed, sounding like glass.

"Time to go." Autumn retreated to her room, feeling enough stress as it was. The phone in her bedroom went off and the girl practically fell over her stuff trying to answer it. "Hello? Maggie, hey. What's up?"

"Nothing much," Maggie replied on the other end. Dawn had let Maggie use her bedroom just to get some privacy for the phone, as the house was "raining grown-ups" as Dawn had put it. "But I think my uncle might be a shadow of some sort."

"What are you talking about?" Autumn asked.

"Oh, never mind. So how are you doing?"

Autumn sat down on the foot of her bed. "I'm OK, I guess."

"I was worried about you. You wigged out major in school."

Autumn groaned with a little embarrassment. "I know. That was stupid. Now I can never show my face in there. So I'm thinking I steal a car, cut my hair, dye it blonde, and escape to Miami."

"One thing, though."

"What is it?"

"_Please_ let me go with you," Maggie playfully begged. "My uncle is driving me bloody insane. I mean, don't get me wrong. I'm grateful for what he's done for me but... he's being a tad bit..."

"Smothering, annoying, pesky, argumentative?"

"Argumentative?" Maggie looked puzzled. "Is there something troubling you, Autumn?"

"Well, I have an older brother, parents, and a pain in the butt guidance counselor."

"Let's start there," Maggie stopped her. "What did he do?"

"You will _not_ believe this but he called me... get ready for this... a slayer." Autumn burst out laughing. "I barely let him talk about it but he started on about something which tuned me out a little. Can you believe it? What a moron, huh?" Maggie stayed silent. "Maggie? Uh, Maggie?"

Maggie was slightly frozen. "Um, Autumn, are you sure you heard him right?"

"Yeah. Clear as day. Pretty stupid, huh?"

"Well, I... I think we need to t—"

"Margaret," Giles's voice interrupted.

"Oh, blasted," Maggie hissed. "Listen, I have to go. But I'll see you at school tomorrow. Meet me at the library."

"All right. Bye." The next thing Autumn heard was the dial tone and she hung up. "She's a wonder."

          When Autumn's brother dropped her off, after she had practically begged him to take her to school early, she entered the library. It looked so dark and pretty baleful in a quiet sort of way. Autumn looked through the rows of books, checking around. A blonde blur suddenly popped in front of her causing Autumn to shriek a little.

"Shush," Maggie whispered. "We are in a library after all."

"You know, that would actually mean something if someone were in here." Autumn sighed. "Why am I here exactly?"

"I have to talk to you and this is big, very big. I mean very, very, very—"

"Maggie," Autumn chided. "Could you get on with it?"

"Oh, sorry. I was so close to having coffee this morning until my uncle walked into the kitchen. I had to say I was fixing it for him. Now I'm all.... frenzied."

Autumn rolled her eyes a little. "Gee, I hadn't noticed."

Maggie slipped off her book bag onto a table taking an aged, brown book out of it. "I borrowed this from my uncle."

"Borrowed?" Autumn raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, he stole my coffee. He owes me something." Maggie began eagerly flipped through the book, moving quite quickly. "I was up looking up some facts and... here!" Autumn jumped at her exclamation. "Look."

          Maggie held the book out to Autumn. There was a picture of a dark clothed figure, pale faced, red mouthed, and standing over another figure. The picture was pretty hard to make out, though, as the page was pretty ragged and worn.

"Uh, is somebody really bad at coloring or something?" Autumn asked idiotically.

"No, that is a vampire. See?" Maggie held the picture closer. "He's hovering over a woman.'

"All right... first the crazy guidance counselor, then the spooky library, now scary pictures?" Autumn listed. "Am I on some type of candid camera?"

"Would you _listen_ for a moment?" Maggie turned a few pages. Another figure with long hair held a pointed object on another picture. "Do you know what this is?"

"More bad coloring?" Autumn replied plainly.

Maggie sighed annoyed. "No! That is a slayer. A slayer!"

"What?" Autumn looked baffled. "This again?"

"Hear me out, Autumn. Vampires, werewolves, demons, things that you were afraid of as a kid, they're all real."

"Gee, that's something to go to sleep on tonight."

"Wait. The good part is the slayers, well, _the_ Slayer is the one who stops the fiends. She takes them down... she, oh, darn it, Autumn, she's the hero." Maggie looked exasperated. "Don't you see?"

"I see that you're especially crazy without that coffee," said Autumn, leaning against the table.

"Get it through your head, Autumn. You're the Slayer, the chosen one, the _vampire_ slayer! Don't you get it?"

"Let me think..." Autumn formed a reflective stare but quickly washed it away. "No. It means nothing to me."

"You're stupid!" Maggie suddenly snapped.

"What?" Autumn looked completely shocked. She might not had known Maggie that long but she wasn't expecting that to come out of her mouth. "What is wrong with you?"

"I mean it. You're a bloody fool. How could you refuse to listen to me? Why would I steer you wrong?"

The amount of sincerity in her voice actually made Autumn soften. "I'm sorry. Really. But how do you expect me to believe any of this?"

"I know. I understand." Maggie smiled a little. "But would it kill you to just think?" The school bell went off then. Maggie picked up the book. "Autumn, look at this when you can. Please?"

Autumn fidgeted for a minute then took the book. "All right," she sighed.

"That a girl." Maggie thought about something. "I wonder if they have any leftover coffee in the teacher's lounge." She headed off out of the library.

As Autumn headed for the double doors of the library she slowly flipped through the book. This was all quite strange.

A/N: Well, I did my best on this chapter. Tell me what you think. And for you super Wesley fans out there I'm sorry he wasn't in this chapter. But do not fret. And, yes, I'll make him cooler as you guys like to put it. Please, review.


	6. Chapter 6 Wesley Cuts In

     POTENTIAL 

                                                SECOND

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: This story takes place at the beginning season seven of Buffy and season four of Angel. When Wesley was booted out of AI (he so had it coming) he went back to Sunnydale. Buffy's alive (yay) and if you're wondering how Angel gets back from the sea without Wesley's help... well, he never goes. I was just wondering, if Buffy died, who was the new slayer? If any of you know... don't tell me. You'll ruin my moment. Now on with the story.

                                                   CHAPTER 6

          Autumn read the book Maggie gave her during her free period only getting slightly interested. When she and Jeff entered the house, Autumn had the book in hand. Later that afternoon, going into evening Autumn lay stretched out on her bed going over some homework. She looked towards the book that was on her nightstand, tempted to pick it up. Autumn slowly reached out to it but pulled back.

_Don't even think about it_, Autumn chided herself.

          Still though she was quite intrigued. When Autumn finally completed the homework she grabbed the book but before she could even open it the girl heard what sounded like screaming going on. Autumn left her room, abandoning the book, and going downstairs. Her parents were, once again, at each other's throats.

Mr. Tucker held up a bill in his hand. "What the hell is this? You spent two hundred dollars last month at Macy's. What did you get there?"

"I can't seem to remember. Could it be... _clothes_?" Mrs. Tucker retorted.

"You'd better watch it!"

"Oh, I'm so scared. The almighty beer guzzler!"

"I had a few drinks, dammit! What do you care?"

"Mom, Dad, stop it," said Autumn, coming to stand nearly in between them.

"I care because my husband has completely changed," Mrs. Tucker shouted, ignoring Autumn. "You don't even seem to care about your own children anymore!"

"Me? You're the one blowing up _my_ damn money!"

"_Your_ money?"

"Guys, look. This is so retarded. Just stop it," Autumn cut in.

"Stay out of this!" Mr. Tucker suddenly shouted at her.

"Don't yell at her!" Mrs. Tucker ordered.

"She's _my_ fucking daughter. I'll yell at her whenever I damn well please!"

          Before Autumn could say anything the doorbell rang. Autumn trudged to answer the door, having to leave her parents to continue going at it. When Autumn opened the front door, her eyes widened. It was Wesley standing on the other side.

"Mr. Pryce?" Autumn felt a groan coming on.

"Autumn, I have to talk to—" Wesley heard the arguing going on. "Is everything all right?"

Autumn quickly stepped out of the house, closing the door. "Of course. Everything's... fine. So what is it?"

"I really have to talk to you. And I need for you to listen."

          Autumn had a choice to make. It was either go for a little walk with her guidance counselor or go back inside and listen to her parents duke it out.

"I'll get my jacket."

          Wesley and Autumn strolled down the street, both equally quiet. Autumn didn't really have anything to say and her mind wasn't on Wesley. What was the deal with her parents? Wesley finally decided to break the silence going on between them.

"You're the next Slayer."

"_That's_ what you start out with?" Autumn asked. "I thought adults had to be more subtle."

"I'm not like most adults," Wesley told her simply. "You're the next Slayer, that covers it."

"Stop saying that. What makes you even think it?"

"I know. The dreams, your school record—"

"You saw my record?" Autumn cut in.

"You have the natural Slayer edge. You're the one, Autumn," Wesley continued, ignoring her interjection.

Autumn felt like laughing. "The one, huh?"

"Yes," Wesley practically snapped, catching the red haired girl by surprise. "In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone with stand up against the vampires, the demons, and the forces of the darkness. She is the Slayer."

"I gotta admit, nice saying. Where'd you get it?"

"The Watcher's Academy," Wesley replied.

"The what?" Autumn inquired confused.

"To put it simply, every Slayer has a watcher and all watchers train and the Watcher's Academy."

"Hold on. This is weird. Just stop for a second."

The two of them stopped walking.

"I see what this is," said Wesley.

"What?" Autumn asked.

"You're believing it," Wesley smirked slightly.

"No, I'm not!" Autumn thought for a minute. "OK. Maybe I am. But why me?"

Wesley shrugged. "Can't answer that. But I know you have to believe me."

"I _have_ to believe you?"

"Yes. I'm a teacher, I can put you in detention."

Autumn laughed a little. "Teacher wanna be really."

"Got me there," Wesley agreed.

"Mr. Pryce?"

"Wesley," he corrected.

"But you're a teacher."

"Teacher wanna be," he corrected again just for fun.

"If I _am_ this Slayer thing, and I'm not saying I am, then why do you care if I am so much?"

"Let's just say... I have nothing better to do these days."

Autumn gave him a sort of a sideways smile even though part of her still didn't believe it.

          When Autumn made her way back home she saw that her parents had stopped arguing, which was relief for her. She also hoped that neither of them noticed that she had left. Autumn went into her room, dropping her jacket into a nearby chair. When she looked on the bed the book wasn't there. The bed was bare. Autumn looked all over the room for it.

"Hey." Autumn turned to the doorway to see Jeff, with the book in hand. "Looking for this?"

Autumn scowled. "Give that here." She went to stand before him.

"What is it? Some new history book?"

"Yeah," Autumn replied with a snap. "Now fork it over."

 He tossed it at her and Autumn caught it quickly and quite easily. Both teenagers formed a strange look of awe.

"What kind of gym class are you taking?" Jeff asked, an eyebrow raised.

Autumn shrugged and left to go on a search for dinner.

A/N: I tried to make Wesley cool. Really I did. But it's like trying to make Steve Urkel social able. Okay, that comment is gonna cost me. Please review.


	7. Chapter 7 Accepting the Truth

      POTENTIAL 

                                                SECOND

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: I'd like to say thank you to everyone for the reviews that I've gotten so far. I have a plot planned out for this story but if you have any suggestions or requests then I might fill them in.

                                                    CHAPTER 7

          The next school day Autumn stood at her locker, going through it, every so often feeling eyes on her back. The red head kept looking back to see passing teenagers, all clearly gawking at her. Autumn hated it. All right, so she made one, loud, ridiculous outburst in class. Would it cost her the rest of the year? Maybe even the next three? She really didn't care what others thought of her but it was still annoying. When Autumn closed her locker door she saw Jessica, the Mexican girl that had given her and Maggie directions, staring at her.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Autumn asked, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

"Question," said the beautiful girl plainly.

"All right." Autumn leaned against her locker. "What is it?"

"Are you psycho or just plain schizophrenic?" Jessica asked as if it were nothing more than a casual conversation.

Autumn rolled her eyes. "Oh, brother."

"Sorry but you had some major "I see dead people" issues going on."

"I fell asleep, I had a nightmare, and I freaked out, okay? Dreams aren't my thing." Autumn pushed her hair back.

"I know what you mean," said Jessica, hugging her books against her chest. "I mean in one I'm making out with the basketball team captain and the next I have a zit that just keeps getting bigger and bigger and bigger." She turned to Autumn. "But seriously, little chica, you're nuts."

Autumn gave her a glare. "Thank you, Jlo."

Jessica scoffed. "Please, Ms. Singing Sensation Wanna Be? As if."

"Great. I'm going to go now." Autumn headed off with Jessica following after her.

"I'm serious. I mean this is _high_ school. Not dinky little middle school. This is the big league. Kids, especially small town Sunnydale kids, don't forget something like a girl screaming her lights out over a bad dream. What are you, five?"

"She follows me," Autumn muttered to herself. She looked at Jessica. "Is there a reason why you're ranting to me?"

"Yes. It's not easy being an outcast. One second you're a popular home coming queen and the next all of your friends disown you because you couldn't pass your freakin' history class and got held back even though it really isn't your fault because that teacher has it in for you and history is useless 'cause it's stuffed that's already happened and the past is made to be forgotten and—" Jessica stopped when she saw that Autumn was staring at her. "Uh, anyway, you get my drift."

Autumn sighed. "Would so many people stop _caring_ about me? It's sick!" She started to walk again but Jessica positioned herself in from of her.

"You might not want to believe me but you can't do that screaming thing again, chica. Trust me, it'll be over for you."

"Thank you, oh, mighty grim one. Can I go to English before _I_ get held back?" Jessica moved aside. "Thank you." Autumn moved down the hall.

"Just remember what I said," Jessica called after her as the bell rang. She headed in the opposite direction but stopped. "Hey, wait. I'm in _her_ English class." She turned around and went in the direction of Autumn.

          When Autumn's free period arrived she headed for the computer room, hoping no one would bother her up there. Before she could even get out of her class good Wesley walked up to her. Autumn felt a sensation to groan. That happened often around Wesley.

"Can I talk to you?" he asked.

"If I say no I still have to come don't I?"

"Yes."

She sighed. "I expected as much." Wesley led her to his cubicle where she took a seat. "Please make this fast. Free periods are supposed to be just that, _free_ periods."

"I'll make it brief," Wesley assured her, sitting behind his desk. Autumn sat in front of him like she always did. "I just thought you'd like to go further into this talk about your... calling."

"Calling? What am I, a nun? So I'm doomed, I mean destined, to hunt the boogieman. What's the big—?"

"Shush!" Wesley hissed. Autumn jumped a little. "It's called a secret identity and you're talking too loudly."

"A superman thing?" Autumn laughed a little. "By day a high school student, by night... a super heroine."

"The correct term is Slayer."

"Yes, I know. What do you do to get Slayer-fied? Do you perform some type of ancient ritual passed down by the... ritual people?"

"No. Now that you know what you are you can now hunt vampires."

Autumn stood up with a smile. "That's great. Talk to you later." She started to leave.

"Freeze and come back," Wesley halted her.

"Which do I do first?" she asked, looking back. He glared at her. "No joking? I see that." Autumn went back and sat down. "I told you that I understand. I go out and kill things that are very mean."

"You can't just "kill things" as you put it. Just because you're a Slayer doesn't mean you can just jump head first into it."

"What about leg first?" Another glare. "I am so angering you."

"If you jump into slaying you will get hurt. Nothing is guaranteed, even with a destiny."

"Wow." Autumn was actually moved. "That is so deep. Can I go now?"

"Shall I frown at you again?"

Autumn lowered in her seat, slightly disgraced. "No, please."

"Like I was saying you need the proper training. How to recognize a vampire and most of all how to defeat one."

"You're kidding, right? I've seen like a dozen horror movies this summer alone. How hard is it to stab a vampire with a stake? And, if that fails, open up a window and let the sun shine in to burn them to death. It's _so_ simple."

"You don't understand. The real world isn't as simple as a good ending having horror flick."

"I would say something sharp but you don't seem to like that."

"I know."

Autumn picked up her book bag. "Listen, can I _please_ go? I'm still fifteen and I still have no attention span."

"Go on," Wesley smiled. "But remember what I told you."

"Can do," Autumn called after him as she left.

          When the last bell of the day rang Autumn made it out of the building through a large bunch of kids. She felt a tap on her shoulder, fretting because she thought it was yet another teenaged kid wanting to jeer at her, but it turned out to be Maggie.

"Hey, girlie," Maggie greeted.

"Hey. Maggie, I've been wanting to talk to you. Listen, I thought it over and I decided to except the whole Slayer thing."

Maggie gave her a funny look. "Right. What changed your mind?"

"The mean old guidance counselor," Autumn replied with a pout.

Maggie giggled. "At least you have faith now." They started to walk. "You know, my uncle's actually a watcher. That is a—"

"Every Slayer has a watcher. As in Watcher's Academy. Did your uncle go there?"

"Uh, yeah. He did. How did _you_ know that, though?" Maggie asked.

"Counselor told me," Autumn answered with a shrug.

"How did _he_ know? Who is he?"

"His name's Wesley Pryce," Autumn told her.

"Wesley Wyndham Price?" Maggie looked surprised.

"No offense but stop with the questions. And, yeah, I guess that's his whole name."

"Oh, I know him. Well, I know _of_ him. My uncle and I... we talk."

"Obviously," Autumn sighed. "What do you know about him?"

"Just that he went to the academy but was fired when something went wrong with one of his slayers."

"Really?" Autumn was surprised. "Wesley doesn't look like the "kicked out" of anything type."

Maggie shrugged. "Well, clearly, he is."

A/N: Don't you just love pointless chapters? All right. I just felt like writing the stuff that's in this down for future use, OK? No need to yell at me. Besides I haven't eaten so if this chapter isn't any good blame it on my tummy. Well, please review.


	8. Chapter 8 Nightly Adventure

     POTENTIAL 

                                                SECOND

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: I'd like to say thank you to everyone for the reviews that I've gotten so far. I have a plot planned out for this story but if you have any suggestions or requests then I might fill them in.

                                                    CHAPTER 8

          Autumn rolled around in bed that night. Sleep was clearly out of the question considering the fact that her parents were going at it again. This time it had started right before dinner, causing Autumn and Jeff to order a pizza and retreat to their rooms. Autumn finally decided to climb out of bed. She changed into a multicolored sleeveless blouse and put on a pair of red overalls. Autumn slipped on a pair of white high tops before she went downstairs and out the door, the sound of her parents arguing muffled.

          Maggie sat at the desk in her bedroom, writing in a notebook. It was one of those restless nights, possibly because she had just finished off a large bag of gummy bears, and she had decided to do some of her weekend homework. Suddenly there was a clank at her window. Maggie went over, pulled back the curtain of her window and saw Autumn standing there. Maggie pulled her window open and stuck her head out.

"Autumn, what the bloody heck are you doing here?" Maggie called down in a whisper.

"Got bored," Autumn replied coolly. "Feel like some fun?"

"I suppose but this doesn't involve vandalism, does it?"

Autumn looked at her strangely. "Uh, no. That's not what every American kid does at night."

Maggie looked slightly disappointed. "Oh, pooh. Well, so much for stereotype. I'll be right down."

          A few minutes later Maggie left her house and ran up to Autumn. Maggie had changed into a white blouse and dark blue jeans. She also had a rather large bag on her back. Autumn gestured towards the bag.

"What is that?" the red head asked.

"Oh, you know, the essentials. There's yoo-hoos, zwizzlers, sour worms, air heads, and some chocolate covered raisins." Autumn looked ready to laugh. "What? I've got to stay up."

"If I didn't live for yoo-hoos I would _really_ make a sarcastic comment."

Maggie shrugged. "So what's up for tonight?"

"I don't know..." Autumn replied all too casually. "... Vampire hunts?"

Maggie gasped. "That's dangerous, that's reckless, and that's positively brilliant."

"Thank you," said Autumn with a smirk.

"Do you have a stake?"

"Uh, no. Do they sell those at Wal-Mart or something?"

Maggie stared at her with an amused look. "I'll be right back." Maggie entered the house, grabbed a couple of Giles's stakes, and went back out, tossing Maggie one of the pointed objects. "Are you ready?"

"I'm a Slayer. So... I'm guessing the readiness thing comes with the job."

Maggie nodded and they headed off down the street.

          Wesley made it home to his apartment late that night, as he had errands to run and had promised to council a few students when classes ended. When he opened the door to his apartment the British man was surprised to see Cordelia sitting on the couch in his living room, eating a small pint of cookies and cream ice cream. She wore jeans, a short-sleeved blouse, and a vest that matched the jeans. Her hair had gone back to brown and was shoulder length. Cordelia looked up at a taken aback Wesley.

"You know, Wes, you should try sherbet, always good."

Wesley took off his coat, placing it in a chair. "Um, Cordelia, a few questions. Number one, what are you doing in Sunnydale? Number two, what are you doing in my apartment? Number three, why the hell are you stealing my ice cream?" He asked all three in a strangely calm voice.

Cordelia stood up, sitting the ice cream on the coffee table. "Number one, I'm here to see you. Number two, I used a higher being teleporting thing-y. Number three, I got hungry waiting on you." She answered his questions equally calm.

"Cordelia, I don't know if you've heard of this but there's a law against breaking and entering. Not to mention the fact that I was looking forward to that ice cream." He stared at her for a moment. "Why are you here to see me? Is it about Angel?"

"No. Angel dragged Connor home with him, made a few threats, and now they're the Brady Bunch. Besides I quit Angel Inc. In fact I work for the watcher's council."

Wesley's eyes grew from the surprise. "You do? Why?"

She shrugged. "They pay better? Besides they wanted a higher being and Angel didn't really need me anymore. We went out... didn't work."

"Oh... I'm sorry."

"Yeah, that's all well and good." Cordelia put her hands to her hips. "Could we get off of _me_ now?" Wesley nodded. "Great. Anyway I have a message for you. You might want to sit down."

Wesley did just that, a curious look on his face.

          Autumn saw that as Maggie led them things seemed to get darker. An odd, creep feeling fell over Autumn when she found that Maggie was bringing them into a slightly fogged cemetery. Were cemeteries _always_ foggy?

"So is this the place?" Autumn asked.

"Yes," Maggie replied, finishing off a twizzler. "My uncle's Slayer comes here sometimes."

"Well, what do we do?" Autumn inquired, looking the stake over that she held in her hand.

"Wait I suppose." She looked down the cemetery. "I'll check down there."

"All right. I'll... try not to get mud on these new shoes," Autumn joked, as she and Maggie divided.

          Autumn walked down the cemetery, glancing at the tombstones. The night just seemed to get colder in such a dark and eerie place. Cemeteries always gave Autumn a serious dose of the creeps, anyway, even during bright daylight. They were just so dark and dreary. Autumn looked at a tombstone coming closer to it. She swiped her hand across it to remove the dust. The name on it was hard to make out. Autumn felt a tap on her shoulder and nearly jumped out of her skin, turning around. It was just a man, dark hair, around twenty.

"Hey. What's a kid doing around here?" he asked.

"I can ask you the same thing," said Autumn coolly.

"I asked first."

Autumn just shrugged. "Nothing better to do?"

          At Maggie's end of the cemetery something just didn't seem right. She decided to turn around and look for Autumn. When Maggie got closer to where Autumn was Goosebumps formed over her skin. That's when she realized it. That person she was talking to was _not_ a man.

"Autumn! Get away from him!" Maggie shouted, running towards her. "That's a vampire!"

Autumn gasped as the man's face bumped up and his fangs extended. "Why do they always travel in pairs? Oh, well, more of the meal."

"Back off!" Maggie ordered in her best American voice, attempting to stab her stake into the vampire's chest.

It caught her wrist. "Cute." With that he tossed her into a tombstone, making it smash. "Bulls eye."

"Maggie!" Autumn exclaimed, attempting to go to her.

The vampire grabbed her next. "Hey, wait, red, you still haven't answered my question."

"Don't plan to," Autumn told him, her voice as serene as it could be. 

She gave the vamp a swift kick, knocking him down. It quickly shot back up and knocked Autumn across the face, barely phasing her. Autumn and the vampire began to go blow for blow, Autumn apparently having the advantage.

Back at Wesley's apartment he sat in his armchair utterly frozen. After five minutes he spoke. "You care to repeat that, Cordelia?"

Cordelia sighed frustrated. "For the millionth time, Brit boy, the watcher's council is giving you another chance to be a watcher."

"But... I... I don't understand. They aren't what you'd call forgiving. Why would they give me a second chance?"

She shrugged her reply. "A pity thing?"

"This is all a lot to take in," Wesley told her, trying to reason with it all. "It would be a great opportunity. That's for sure."

"Yeah, well, is that a yes or a no? Some of us have a schedule to keep." She glanced at her watch.

"Well, I suppose I could—" He was caught off with Cordy shrieking in pain. "Cordelia!" Wesley rushed to her. "Are you all right?"

Cordelia held her head and slowly came through. "Whoa. I'm fine."

"What happened? A vision?"

"Yep. By the way, it might interest you to know that your new charge is about to get herself killed."

Wesley looked confused for a moment then deep in thought.

          Punch, kick, kick, punch. That's what were happening with Autumn and the vampire. When one tossed out a blow the other either punched or kick. Finally Autumn kicked him as hard as she could in the nuts, knocking him down. Without hesitation she jabbed the stake into his heart, melting him in a sea of ashes. She sighed with relief and went over to Maggie.

"Are you all right?" Autumn asked, kneeling down to her.

Maggie held her head. "Ouch, blasted! That thing wasn't joking."

"Well, I got him," Autumn told her. "Happy ending."

Maggie's eyes widened. "Uh, Autumn, think again."

Autumn turned and gasped. Three more vampires had circle the ashes of their fallen brother.

"Two for the price of one," one of them commented. "Gotta love those odds."

"This is new," Autumn gulped.

          She stood and unwisely rushed all three vamps. Two of them grabbed her by the arms, while one came up on her. Autumn kicked him under the chin, knocking him down. She managed to toss the vampires that held her off of her. The one that she made fall approached from behind and grasped her around the waist, in a suffocating squeeze. Autumn groaned in pain but coped. The vampire threw her into a tree, making her hurt her head hard. Next all three vampire's circled her.

"Well, that was easy."

"I believe it just got hard." The vampires turned around to see Spike.

Autumn held her head groaning. "Who is—?" 

"Spike!" Maggie shouted happily, seeing the bleached blonde vampire.

"In the flesh," Spike told the teenager. He turned back to the other three vampires. "Now I believe you were about to do something that would completely piss me."

"Easy, man," one vampire said. "This ain't your fight."

"It just became it." Spike vamped out, taking Autumn by surprise.

"He's one of them," she whispered to herself.

          Spike began tossing the three vampires about with ease. Maggie crawled over to Autumn and put an arm around her, asking if she was all right. Autumn just nodded a little, still clutching her head, and watching Spike move. He took out two of the vampires with just a tree branch and sending the last one down with a heavy punch to the face. Spike knelt down and stabbed him in the heart, making him join his two companions as dust.

"Are you all right?" Spike asked the two girls.

"Ouch," Autumn replied.

"Thanks, Spike," Maggie smiled.

Spike held out his hands and helped the two of them stand. "Now what the bloody hell are you doing here?"

"I was just about to ask the same." All three of them turned to see Wesley who had just driven up.

"Bring on the pouf," Spike muttered.

"Wesley?" Autumn inquired. "How did you—?"

"You're hurt," Wesley told her, walking up. He touched a bad cut on Autumn's forehead.

"I feel fine," Autumn told him. "In an in need of aspirin kind of way."

"What were you doing out here?" Wesley asked Autumn.

"Doing what I'm supposed to?" Autumn answered in the form of a question.

"Did you listen to _nothing _I told you earlier?" Wesley questioned exasperatedly.

"Yes, I did," Autumn defended herself. "You said for every generation... and then... training and... sorry. Short attention span."

Wesley sighed deeply. "This is not going to be easy," he said, putting his head in his hands.

"But I'm OK. I mean that's what matters, isn't it?" Autumn attempted to reason.

Wesley just glared at her. "Get in," he said, gesturing to his car.

"I'm guessing that's not a request." Wesley's deadly grimace got the young red head moving and in the car in no time.

Maggie and Spike followed her also getting inside. Maggie sat next to Autumn in the back, also feeling a headache coming on and felt a cut on her cheek but the bruise wasn't as bad as Autumn's. Spike joined Wesley up front without a word. Wesley got in and drove off, also silent.

A/N: Coming up, there will be Scoobies/Autumn interaction, AI should show up soon, lots more Spike goodness, and I would like to know if you have any requests. I'll see if I can fit them in. Please review.


	9. Chapter 9 Same Time Tomorrow?

      POTENTIAL 

                                                SECOND

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: I'd like to say thank you to everyone for the reviews that I've gotten so far. I have a plot planned out for this story but if you have any suggestions or requests then I might fill them in.

                                                    CHAPTER 9

          Wesley pulled up in front of the Summers household. Autumn quickly inquired why they were there but Wesley just told her to get out of the car. Autumn had to refrain from making a comment about him sounding like a cop, even though it was pretty tempting. A half tired Buffy appeared at her front door when she heard the knock. She was surprised to see a rugged looking Wesley, Spike, Maggie, and a red headed girl she didn't know standing on her front porch.

"What's going on?" the blonde slayer asked.

"What _is_ going on?" Autumn echoed.

"Hi, Buffy," a hyper Maggie waved.

"Uh, hi..." Buffy looked her over. "Are you OK?"

"Oh, yes," Maggie replied. "Just a little... energetic."

Buffy sighed. "Come in."

The four of them followed Buffy into her living room as Dawn was coming down.

"Hey, Buff, you having a sleepover?" the thin teenager asked.

Buffy ignored her sister. "Wesley, what are you doing here? With Spike and Maggie and.... girl I don't know."

"Oh, sorry. Autumn, Autumn Tucker."

"Oh, I'm Dawn." Dawn held out a hang and Autumn shook it.

"I'm Spike." The bleached blonde also held out a hand for Autumn to shake.

"Uh, hi." Autumn slowly shook his hand. "Are you evil?"

"Yes," Buffy replied for Spike. "Just not the way you're thinking. Oh, and, Wesley, I repeat, what are you doing here?"

"Honestly... couldn't think of anywhere else to take them," Wesley told her.

"Question." Autumn raised her hand. "Who are these people?"

"Autumn, meet Buffy, the vampire slayer," Wesley formally introduced.

"Say what?" Autumn couldn't believe it. "She's... a slayer? What happened to Chosen One-ness?"

"Oh, _that_ part you listen to." Wesley rolled his eyes.

Autumn shrugged. "Info goes in but I'm not sure when it comes out."

Spike and Dawn went into the kitchen with Maggie, leaving Wesley, Buffy, and Autumn in the living room. Autumn sat on the couch next to Wesley and Buffy sat on the arm of a nearby armchair.

"What were you doing?" Wesley asked Autumn.

"I told you that I was doing what I was supposed to be doing. You told me to train."

"With _me_, you little—" Wesley stopped himself. "Oh, right. I'm a teacher, can't call you that."

Autumn raised a curious eyebrow.

"What happened?" Buffy asked.

Autumn looked at her. "I went vampire hunting with Maggie."

"You have no experience," said Wesley, trying calmly to reason.

"You didn't say anything about experience," Autumn reminded him kind of idiotically.

Wesley groaned, burying his head in his hands.

Buffy had to laugh a little. He reminded her of Giles.

"You can't go in like that," Wesley tried to explain. "Especially with a regular child as your backup. You could have both been killed."

"But I killed one of those vampires."

"You got one?" Buffy asked.

Autumn nodded.

"You still go hurt." Wesley took hold of her chin, examing the cut, which was closing. "Lucky for you you're a Slayer."

Autumn took her head away. "I think you're freaking out too much."

"Freaking out too much?" Wesley nearly exclaimed, taking Buffy by surprise. "Let me tell you something, chit. If I'm going to be your watcher I'm not going to put up with this."

Autumn stared at him. "You're my watcher?" Wesley nodded. "But I heard you were a reject."

Buffy laughed again.

"You're just going to have to trust me," Wesley sighed, trying to keep calm with the redheaded teenager.

"Can you do the same for me?" Autumn asked.

"I'll attempt it," Wesley replied.

Dawn gave Maggie a bandage for her cut and sat down at the table with her and Spike.

"I can't believe you went vampire hunting," said Dawn. "Was it fun?"

Maggie nodded. "Up until I got the concussion."

"Why were you out there, anyway?" Spike asked.

"We couldn't sleep," Maggie replied honestly.

Spike stared at her for a moment then busted out in laughter.

Maggie looked at Dawn nervously asking if Spike was all right.

"Oh, he's fine," Dawn told her. "Just a little hysterical-ish."

"What time is it?" Maggie asked.

Dawn glanced at a nearby clock. "Past midnight."

Maggie gasped. "Oh, my God! I'm going to be dead. I have to get home."

"Relax, bit," said Spike, standing. "I left my bike at the cemetery. I can take you."

"Thanks," Maggie smiled at him.

Autumn entered the kitchen. "I wanted to get away from Wesley. Buffy said I could have a yoo-hoo." She looked at Spike. "Am I supposed to kill you? You know, super duty."

"Just what the world needs... another Slayer." Spike left the kitchen.

"So what's going on?" Autumn asked Maggie and Dawn.

"I have to go," Maggie told her.

"Oh. Same time tomorrow?" Autumn asked.

"Um, didn't Wesley just get down on you about that?" Maggie reminded her.

Autumn shrugged. "He talks, I stare at something shiny. So how about it?"

"Well, it's fine with me I guess," Maggie told her.

"This is great," said Dawn. "I'm going patrolling with you guys!"

"You are?" Maggie and Autumn asked simultaneously.

"Yeah. Buffy's been training me a little. The more the merrier, right?"

"Fine. What are you to Buffy?" Autumn asked.

"Sister."

"Come on, Maggie," Spike called.

"Oh, I have to go. I'll see you two tomorrow." Maggie got up from the table. "Meet at my house, all right?"

Autumn and Dawn nodded as Maggie left out.

A/N: I should have made this longer. Shame on me. Well, I'll make it up to you, promise. Please review.


	10. Chapter 10 The Tag Along

     POTENTIAL 

                                                SECOND

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: I'd like to say thank you to everyone for the reviews that I've gotten so far. I have a plot planned out for this story but if you have any suggestions or requests then I might fill them in.

                                               CHAPTER 10

          Autumn waited until past ten thirty that Saturday night. She took hold of the stake that she had forgotten to return to Maggie the previous night and made her way down to the front door. Before Autumn could get the door open she felt a hand on her shoulder that made her turn around quickly in fear. It was only Jeff.

Autumn sighed with relief. "What are you doing?"

"Going with you," Jeff replied simply, his dark green eyes sort of flashing in the darkness.

"You don't even know where I'm going," Autumn reminded him.

"I don't care. Mom and Dad are probably gonna start the fighting again and I don't feel like it," said Jeff. "So, lucky you, I'm tagging along."

"Oh, no, you're not," Autumn told him, trying to be firm over her older brother.

"It's cute the way you try to act all high and mighty," Jeff smirked. "So where're we goin'?"

Autumn glared at him for a minute then surrendered. "We are going to a cemetery. You game?"

Jeff shrugged. "I prefer the living dead over our parents any day."

          Dawn stood outside of Maggie's front porch, pacing a little. Maggie sat on her front steps, shakily eating a large powdered donut. Dawn looked Maggie over. The blonde looked just a little batty in the head with the way her hands were shaking as she ate.

"Maggie, you OK?" Dawn asked.

Maggie nodded vigorously. "The night's air is just a tad chilly, that's all. It makes me jumpy."

Dawn looked down to street to see Autumn and Jeff running up.

"Hey," Autumn greeted, jogging up to Dawn. "Ready?"

"Yeah, sure." Dawn peered behind Autumn at the tall, raven-haired boy behind her, his green eyes still flashed like a cat's in the night. "So... who's he?"

Autumn looked behind her and scowled. "An annoyance known as Jeff. He's my older brother."

Jeff pushed Maggie aside and held out a hand to Dawn. "It's a pleasure."

The brunette girl took his hand with a smile.

Autumn and Maggie exchanged a glance.

Maggie went over to Jeff, just finishing off her donut. "Hi, I'm Maggie."

"Hey," Jeff greeted, not even looking at Maggie, his eyes fixed on Dawn.

Dawn kept smiling at him.

"This is all a nice introduction but, _Jeff_, we don't have enough stakes for an extra person," Autumn said to the boy, a way of saying she wanted him gone.

Dawn pulled one out of each of her pockets. "Always prepared." She handed a stake to Jeff.

Autumn felt like staking Dawn right then and there. "Ready?" the red head asked the small group.

"Sure," replied a frenzied Maggie.

"Born ready." Jeff snickered a little. "Almighty Slayer."

Autumn glowered at him.

"Ready, Autumn," said Dawn, trying to keep the peace a little.

          Autumn nodded and headed off to the cemetery, Maggie walking right next to her. Dawn and Jeff hung back a little, talking as they walked. Maggie glanced back at the two tall teens. Why were they grinning so much? It was kind of appalling.

"So why did you tell your brother?" Maggie asked Autumn.

"Had to," Autumn replied simply. "He actually believed the whole slayer thing, too. Weird."

Maggie smirked a little. "Catches on faster than you I see." Autumn gave her a look. "Oh, sorry, the sugar."

"So you're Autumn's big brother? Are you sarcastic?" Dawn asked.

"Sometimes," Jeff shrugged. "But, unlike my sis, I'm realistic."

"Which means?"

"I've always believed... stuff was out there. Autumn always had trouble excepting facts so there's no way she believes in fiction. I do."

"So when you found out she was a Slayer...?" Dawn trailed off allowing him to fill in the blanks.

"Believable," Jeff filled in. "Just believable."

Dawn gave him a sweet look. "My sister's a Slayer, too. But she died before the summer and was brought back to life by her friend, who is a witch. Since Buffy died Autumn became a Slayer." Dawn expected Jeff to have a load of questions.

"Reincarnation?" Dawn nodded. Jeff smirked. "That's always fun."

Dawn nodded again, impressed by his lack of keenness.

          The foursome finally reached the cemetery, which was, once again, dark and sort of murky. Autumn turned to Jeff and Dawn who hadn't really noticed that they had stepped into the graveyard.

"In case you guys were wondering," Autumn spoke up. "We're in the land of the dead now. All right? Just wanted to share."

Jeff looked around their surroundings. "Nice," he said merely.

"Been here," Dawn added. She and Jeff turned their attention back to each other.

Maggie looked at Autumn, hoping she wasn't too annoyed.

Autumn started. "Let's just—" She felt Maggie topple over on top of her. "... Do this."

"Someone pushed me," Maggie told the red head.

"That!" Jeff exclaimed, pointing at a long fanged vampire. "Damn, not exactly Dracula."

Autumn got out from under Maggie and began to approach the dead creature, stake in hand. "You know I hate it when freaks try to ruin my night." She thought about something. "All right, that sounded _really_ corny."

She shot out her hand, attempting to give the vampire a good stab, but he caught her wrist. Autumn kicked him in the lower abdomen, causing him to release her. Autumn threw several swift punches at the vampire's face, each one going harder. When Autumn went for a kick the vampire grabbed her foot and tossed her down.

"Autumn!" Jeff cried.

"I'm good," Autumn told her brother, sitting up. The vampire was gone. "Where'd it—?"

Dawn shrieked, feeling the vampire give her a tight embrace from the back. Jeff actually managed to grab hold of the living dead being, making him release Dawn. The vampire turned his attack around and clouted Jeff in the face, hard. Jeff fell to the ground, clutching his face. Dawn tried to kneel to him but the vampire took hold of her again.

Autumn tried to go to Dawn but heard another scream and saw Maggie being attacked by a female vamp. This was not working out very well.

"I'm coming. I'm coming," Buffy kept saying to her ringing doorbell. She slowly opened it. "Do not let it be Wes- Giles."

Giles moved passed Buffy into the house. "Have you seen her? She isn't in her room. I can't find her."

"Giles, who?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know what could have happened. I thought she was in bed," Giles continued to rant.

"Who?" Buffy asked again louder.

"Margaret," Giles finally replied. "She's disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Buffy echoed. "Oh, my God..."

"Do you think I should call the police?" Giles asked her.

"Wait. Hold on." Buffy headed for the stairs. "Maybe Dawn's seen her." Giles nodded and Buffy headed up. She came down a couple minutes later. "One problem with that theory."

"What is it?" the Englishman asked.

"Dawn's gone, too," Buffy replied, trying to cover her obvious worry.

Autumn staked the vampire that continued to go on Maggie. "You OK, Maggie?"

"Here comes another one," was all Maggie said.

"Where? I don't see—" A male vampire jumped down from out of nowhere. "I'm sick of these things cutting me off."

"Jeff!" Dawn yelled down to the boy as the vampire who had been assaulting her kept trying to bite her.

Jeff got back up, a little blood on his face from the punch he had received. The dark haired boy tried to use the stake but the vampire knocked it out of his hand. Then it knocked Jeff back down and threw Dawn as well. She landed on top of Jeff, groaning, then looked down and saw his green eyes. Jeff groaned as well but looked to see who was on top of him.

"Oh. I... uh..." Jeff began to stutter. He gasped when the vampire that had been on them started to advance on them. "Dawn, move!" Jeff suddenly tossed the brown haired girl off of him.

Dawn rolled off. "Whoa, Jeff!"

Jeff reached out and quickly grabbed the stake he had dropped, actually managing to kick the opposing vampire in the stomach, distracting him a little. Jeff jammed the stake into the vampire, getting him by pure luck, and melting him into dust. Jeff sighed with relief and quickly went over to Dawn, helping her up.

          Autumn and Maggie had no time to offer help to their two companions. Maggie suddenly rushed out and tackled their vampire down, sending them both to the ground. Autumn gasped. Was the British girl insane?

"Autumn, quick! The stake!" Maggie shouted.

Autumn saw the stake in her hand. "Right!"

          Before Autumn could make it over to the vampire's heart it grabbed hold of Maggie's throat and started choking her a little. Autumn couldn't believe it as another couple of vampires showed up. The one holding Maggie banged the back of her head down on the floor and continued banging it down. Blood slowly leaked from her blonde head.

"Autumn, quick!" Dawn yelled as one of the vampires came upon her and Jeff.

Autumn looked at the vampire that was coming closer to her, then the one coming upon Dawn and Jeff, and the one that was brutally attacking Maggie. What was she supposed to do?

Giles drove down towards the cemetery. Buffy, Spike, and Wesley were all in his car. Buffy drove up front and the other two Brits sat in the back.

"So let's go over this again," said Spike. "Goldilocks, the bit, _and_ Copper curls Slayer have all disappeared? And I've been dragged along for the ride?"

"For the third time, Spike, yes!" Buffy shouted. "Dawn is so dead."

"Wait until I get my hands on Margaret," Giles muttered.

"I'm going to kill that little red headed brat," Wesley grumbled, his head resting in his hand. "Going to kill her so much."

"Well, then who can I kill?" Spike asked.

The car ignored him.

A/N: This chapter would have been better if I wasn't in a hurry. Shame on me again, right? Well, better next time, all right? Please review.


	11. Chapter 11 Disappointment

      POTENTIAL 

                                                SECOND

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: I'd like to say thank you to everyone for the reviews that I've gotten so far. I have a plot planned out for this story but if you have any suggestions or requests then I might fill them in.

                                               CHAPTER 11

          Autumn was frantic. On the one hand one vampire was attacking Maggie viciously but her brother and Dawn were about to be harassed by another. What was the red head to do? The vampire that held Maggie grabbed her by the throat again and held her up against the tree, choking her. Autumn's eyes widened as the vampire that was near Jeff and Dawn smacked Jeff away and took hold of Dawn.

"You smell fresh," the vampire hissed.

Dawn struggled out of his grasp. "Ouch! Clingy much?" She got ready to stab him in the heart using the stake she held in her free hand but the vampire not only caught her wrist but also grabbed the stake.

"You know, these things are pretty pesky." With that the vampire used his strength to send the stake through Dawn's leg. She screeched in pain. "See what I mean?"

Dawn fell down in pain, holding her bleeding leg, tears slipping out of her eyes.

"Dawn!" Jeff and Autumn exclaimed at the same time.

Autumn angrily charged the vampire, staking him by surprise.

"Autumn, look!" Jeff pointed to a suffocating Maggie.

Autumn gasped and tried to run up to the vampire that held Maggie. The girl felt herself get grasped by another vampire, who squeezed her tightly. Autumn gasped out then kicked the vampire in the chin, causing him to release her. Autumn decked the vampire in the face. He punched her back, making her fall down. Autumn got back up and hit him in the face again. 

Suddenly an arrow came out of nowhere shooting the vampire that held Maggie. It melted into dust. Maggie fell to the ground, bleeding and gasping for air. Autumn looked confused then turned to see Giles holding a crossbow, even though she had no idea who he was.

"Who are you?" Autumn asked, silently thanking him for saving her friend.

"Her uncle," Giles replied simply, gesturing towards Maggie. He rushed over to the wounded blonde girl, lifting her gently into his lap.

Autumn had no time to ask more questions, as she felt herself get punched by the vampire again. She fell to the ground, holding her bloody mouth. The vamp had taken her off-guard. Buffy, Spike, and, much to Autumn's dismay, ran up to the scene. Buffy stabbed the vampire in the heart with a stake before it had a chance to touch Autumn again. Spike growled angrily and went over to Dawn. Jeff held her in his arms. Buffy knelt down to Autumn.

"Are you OK?" the older Slayer asked.

Autumn nodded, slowly taking her hand from her mouth. "Yeah. But I think I'd call tonight successful."

"Successful?" Autumn looked over to an irate Wesley. "You could have gotten killed, you bloody chit!"

Autumn looked at him funny. "Uh, what did you just call me?"

Wesley groaned exasperated, much to Buffy's amusement.

Even though Buffy got a small laugh off of Wesley she had to agree with him. She would kill Dawn.

"What happened?" Spike asked Dawn, meaning her leg.

"That vamp nearly made shish-kabob out of my leg." Dawn nursed the aforementioned limb.

"Hold still." Spike touched the stake, attempting to pull it out.

Dawn winced. "No! Don't touch it!"

"Dawn," said Spike firmly. Dawn whimpered a little. Jeff held Dawn tightly as Spike pulled the stake from Dawn's leg. She gasped out in pain. "You OK, bit?"

Dawn nodded a little, wiping away the last of the tears.

"Here, Dawn, let me help you," said Jeff gently.

Dawn smiled brightly. "Thanks, Jeff."

"Here, Dawn, let _me_ help you." Spike shot a killer glare at Jeff.

Jeff smirked. "And who are you, her daddy?" Spike vamped out scarily. Jeff took all hands away from Dawn. "Right. No touchy, got it."

Dawn rolled her eyes as Spike lifted her into his arms.

Buffy walked up. "You know I'm gonna kill you, right?" she asked her sister.

"I guessed," Dawn moaned.

Maggie's eyes opened as she looked up into Giles's brown eyes. "Hey..."

Giles asked tenderly, "Are you all right?"

Maggie groaned. "Not so much but I'll be fine."

"Good. That won't be lasting long." He picked her up.

Maggie felt like kicking herself. Too bad she was in too much pain already.

Autumn sat quietly, waiting for Wesley to say something. Wesley just extended his hand to her. Autumn smiled sheepishly, taking the hand and getting pulled to her feet by the Englishman. As they all started to make there way to the car Wesley leaned in to whisper in Autumn's ear.

"You are as good as dead."

A rush of fear flooded through the red head. She gulped.

          When they all made it to the Summers household Spike sat Dawn on the couch, supporting her leg on the table. He'd ripped off a piece of his sleeve to bandage the cut with it. Jeff was about to sit right next to Dawn but Spike glared at him. Jeff moved over to an armchair. Maggie sat at the end of the couch, leaving Autumn to sit in the middle.

"I'd like to say that I am terribly disappointed in each of you," said Giles, arms crossed. He looked at Autumn. "You, I don't know."

"Um, Autumn Tucker," Autumn clarified.

Giles nodded.

"I'm big with the disappointment here, too," said Buffy. She looked at Jeff. "Um, you are...?"

"Jeff. I'm _Jeff_ Tucker," said the raven-haired boy.

"My brother," Autumn added.

"Ah, a family affair. Quite nice." Wesley looked sternly at Autumn. "Can I see you in the kitchen?"

Autumn slouched against the couch. "I prefer to be around all the nice witnesses." Wesley gave her a killer glare. Autumn slowly stood and went into the kitchen with him.

"Margaret, I'll see you upstairs," said Giles.

Maggie moaned.

"You can use my room," Buffy told Giles.

Giles nodded and gestured for Maggie to follow him.

The battered girl went after Giles, going upstairs.

          Wesley paced back and forth in the kitchen. Autumn sat at the table watching him. He moved from one side of the room to the other, backward and forward. He'd said nothing. Autumn slowly got annoyed.

"Could you please say something?" she suddenly exclaimed. Wesley stopped and walked up to the table, angrily smacked the palm of his hands down on the table. "But, you know, pacing is good."

"You're a little fool," Wesley said calmly yet heatedly.

 Autumn was taken aback. "Well, isn't _that_ kind of harsh?"

"I was about to call you something else but that being a teacher thing got in my way again." Wesley sat down at the table with a deep sigh. "I'm so upset with you, Autumn."

Autumn felt a guilty sensation flow over her. "I'm sorry..."

"Sorry? I told you not to do this and you did it, anyway. That was disobedience and in-subordinate."

"Big words..." Autumn fidgeted a bit. "Scared a little."

Wesley stared Autumn right in the eye. "I'm sorry, Autumn, but if you can't learn to listen to me I doubt I want to be your watcher."

The red head couldn't believe her ears. "You're serious, aren't you?" Wesley looked at her. Autumn just sat there in silence.

          Upstairs Giles was looking over Maggie's injuries. The back of her head had stopped bleeding but her head was filthy from all the blood that had already spilled. Plus her face was scratched and she had light bruises covering her neck. Giles grabbed a bowl, filled it with hot water, and grabbed a cloth wipe. He slowly patted the bruises after dipping the wipe in the hot water, causing Maggie to wince.

"Shh. It's all right," Giles assured her softly. "Look at you."

"I know." Maggie sighed. "I must look horrid."

"Yes, but..." Giles sat the wipe down. "You shouldn't look this way."

"What do you mean?" His niece looked confused.

"You shouldn't go out looking like you get abused and beaten. You shouldn't..." Giles trailed off, slightly teary. "This shouldn't have happened to you. Why would anyone hurt a child?"

"Well... I might as well have worn a t-shirt that said "take me, I have a gooey filling inside" with going to the graveyard like that," Maggie had to admit.

"Yes, I should thrash you for that later."

Maggie chuckled. Giles gave her a look. "Oh." Maggie's face fell. "Not kidding."

Giles sighed deeply. "Lucky for you that you've been hurt enough tonight."

Maggie smiled a little. "Yes, quite true."

"But we need to discuss your punishment."

"I don't recall that as being part of the moving to America deal," Maggie attempted to clown.

"Let's revisit that thrashing idea," said Giles firmly.

"Just kidding," Maggie said then laughing at her own quickness.

Giles gave her a little smile then went back to cleaning her face with the wipe. "I can't lose you, Margaret."

Maggie looked at him. "The feeling is mutual, Uncle Rupert. I'm so sorry about all of this."

Giles just nodded and went back to cleaning her face.

          Downstairs Buffy, Dawn, Spike, and Jeff were all still in the living room. Buffy had her arm around Dawn, sitting on the couch, pretty much thankful that she was all right. Spike had been glaring from Jeff to Dawn.

"Well?" Spike nudged Buffy.

"Well, what?" Buffy asked.

"Don't you have something to say to the bit, Slayer?"

Buffy sighed. She'd been wanting to hold it until Jeff had left. "Dawn, that was stupid," Buffy started. "Big with the stupid."

"I know. It just sounded like fun, you know? Plus don't be mad at Autumn or Maggie. I practically begged them to let me go with them," said Dawn.

"How's your leg?" Jeff suddenly asked.

Dawn smiled at him. "Fine. Thanks."

Jeff smiled back at her.

Spike glared his best glare. "Enough already." He turned to Jeff. "Shouldn't you be getting home, mate?"

Jeff raised an eyebrow. "What did you just call me?" He and his sister sounded so much alike.

Autumn entered the living room then, clearly upset. "Jeff, let's go."

Jeff looked at her. "What's with you? And who is that English guy?"

"Talk on the way." Autumn walked up to him. "Let's go."

Jeff rolled his eyes. "Fine." He smiled at Dawn again. "Hope I see you again soon."

"No, you won't," Spike muttered.

Buffy glowered at him.

"Oh, wait." Dawn grabbed the nearest pad of paper and scribbled something down. She handed it to Jeff. "My number. You know call and stuff."

Jeff nodded with his cute boy with great hair smile.

Autumn rolled her eyes at her brother. "Bye, Dawn." Autumn looked at Buffy. "Could you tell Maggie I'll call her?"

"Sure," said Buffy. "Doubt she'll be able to use the phone anytime soon, though."

Autumn nodded and she and Jeff left out of the house.

They quickly re-entered the house.

"What is it?" Buffy asked.

"We... don't know how to get home from here," Autumn replied sheepishly.

          Giles dropped the two teenagers off at the end of their block. As they walked up to their house Autumn filled Jeff in on who Wesley and the others were. Autumn noticed that Jeff actually listened to her and didn't make his usual sly comments. When they got to their front porch Mrs. Tucker sat there, a puff of gray smoke came out of her mouth, a cigarette in her hand. Autumn and Jeff looked alarmed as they walked up to her.

"I see you two actually made it home." Mrs. Tucker puffed her cigarette again.

"Mom? When did you start smoking?" Jeff asked.

Mrs. Tucker shrugged. "I get an urge every time I'm around your father."

Jeff shook his head and went into the house.

Autumn walked up to her mother. "Listen, Mom, I know we're really late but I—" She got cut off by Mrs. Tucker handing her an envelope. "What's this?"

          Mrs. Tucker didn't respond. Autumn opened the envelope to find a small stack of photos. One was a picture of her father knocking on a hotel room door. Another was a woman at the door. The third picture showed Mr. Tucker and that woman kissing each other passionately in the hall. Autumn stopped looking then and turned to her mother.

Mrs. Tucker puffed her cigarette. "I hired someone to photograph him," she replied to Autumn before the red head could even ask a question.

"No, Mom, this can't be right," said Autumn, her voice a little upset.

"It is. It explains everything. He was always yelling, always drinking, working late. I knew what it really was."

Autumn had never seen her mother that way. She quickly went into the house, ran up the stairs, and slammed the door to her bedroom, wishing that night had never happened.

A/N: I'm sorry if there's anything wrong with this chapter. I didn't get to re-read it right because I'm so sleepy that my eyes can't stay open. Please review.


	12. Chapter 12 Violence and Scrolls

     POTENTIAL 

                                                SECOND

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: I'd like to say thank you to everyone for the reviews that I've gotten so far. I have a plot planned out for this story but if you have any suggestions or requests then I might fill them in.

                                               CHAPTER 12

          Autumn walked through Sunday morning without saying much. She woke up early to fix her own breakfast so as to avoid both of her parents. Jeff had left the house early after breakfast. Autumn guessed that he hadn't seen the pictures their mother had shown her. It was a shame since Autumn had wanted to talk to him.

          When the teenaged girl finally left her room it was because she couldn't take the silence anymore. She had to either talk to her mother or confront her father. Autumn knocked on her parents' bedroom door but got no answer. It turned out that neither of them were home. Autumn was pretty insulted since they hadn't even told her they were leaving. 

Meanwhile at the Summers household Buffy stood over Willow, who was at the dining room table with her laptop. Dawn sat at the end of the table, a dreamy look in her eyes. She was thinking about Jeff for the third time that day. He just seemed so deep and profound in his dark, handsome nature. Willow groaned loudly interrupting Dawn's thoughts. 

"What is it, Willow?" Buffy asked.

"I can't ID this demon that you were telling us about. I've been at this for a over a week." The red haired witch looked up at Buffy. "I want a coffee break."

"Keep trying," Buffy sighed.

Willow thought a slave driver comment was in order but decided against it. She went back to her computer and started to look again but a look of confusion crossed her face and she began to press random keys furiously. Dawn and Buffy looked at her strangely.

"This is weird," Willow whispered, beating at the keys with her fingers.

"Did it freeze?" Buffy asked with her arms folded.

"No. It pulled up search and..." Willow stared at the computer strangely. "Showing an address?"

Buffy and Dawn gathered around the screen. An address went flashing across the screen in red letters. Willow kept trying to close search but it was as if the laptop wouldn't let her. Buffy formed a look then and took one of Willow's hands off the keys.

"Hold it, Will," said Buffy, a little determination in her voice. "Where is this place?"

"I don't know. 425 N. Atlas," Willow read off the screen.

Buffy grabbed her jacket and headed for the front door.

Dawn went after her. "You're gonna go, aren't you?" Buffy nodded. "Can I come?" the teenager asked with a smile. 

Buffy gave her a look. "I thought you had plans to sneak out your window tonight." Buffy opened and closed the door then.

Dawn stood there, a sheepish look on her face.

For the rest of the day Autumn busied herself. She finished off her weekend homework, clean her room, and made dinner, which she had to eat alone. Not even Jeff had come home yet. Autumn went up to her room at around nine o'clock and tried to call Maggie but she wasn't picking up the phone. Autumn released a groan, dropping down on her bed. 

          Then the front door suddenly came open. Autumn got down from her bed and practically rushed downstairs, wanting somebody to talk to. When she got to the foot of the stairs she saw her father standing in the living room with a woman, the same one from the pictures.

"No one's home," Mr. Tucker told the woman. "The kids went out."

"Finally. I've been dying to see your place." The woman sat down on the couch. She looked younger than Mrs. Tucker. "We're always at my place."

Mr. Tucker sat down next to her. "Well, that's gonna change. There is no one I would rather be with than you."

The woman smiled mischievously. "Prove it."

Mr. Tucker smiled back and leaned in to kiss her.

          Autumn's eyes grew three sizes. She couldn't believe it. She honestly thought that she was having another one of her many nightmares. There her father was, her own father, sitting on _their_ couch, in _their_ living room, in _their_ house kissing some strange woman. The pictures had been right. Autumn's father really was cheating on her mother. She hadn't wanted to believe it but there it was, for her own eyes to witness. Autumn stormed down the stairs, her anger clear.

She cleared her throat loudly.

Mr. Tucker stopped kissing the woman long enough to look over at his daughter. He nearly jumped out of his seat. "Oh, my... A-Autumn, what are you doing home?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Autumn snapped.

The woman smiled. "Is this your daughter?"

"Yes, I am," Autumn replied sharply. "Dad, is this your home wrecker?"

"Autumn, watch it," her father said firmly.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Autumn apologized innocently. "Does bitch swallow down better?"

The woman looked positively steamed.

Mr. Tucker approached Autumn. "Autumn, watch it," he warned.

"I don't believe you," Autumn shouted in his face. "You have the nerve to do _this_? And in our own house?" She couldn't say anymore, just turned and stormed up the stairs, slamming her bedroom door.

          Buffy arrived at a building, maybe an old stockroom, which looked abandoned. She slowly went inside, looking around. It was definitely abandoned with old broken pieces of machines scattered about. A chill ran through the slayer then and she swirled around to see a frail demon, dressed in rags, and carrying a cane there.

"It's you." Buffy slowly came closer but not right upon him. "I knew you'd be here. I saw you around here just last week. That is until you pulled the disappearing in the shadows thing, which is an _old_ trick, by the way."

The demon limped over to her, cane in hand. "You're the slayer," he hissed.

Buffy sighed. "Do you guys see some type of magical name tag on me or something? How do you always know who I am?"

The demon stuck his hand into the sleeve of his ragged shirt and suddenly yanked out what looked like a scroll. He tossed it to Buffy who instantly caught it. She examined it. It was old, dirty, and looked like it came from a couple of centuries before. When Buffy looked up the demon was limping into the shadows. Buffy rolled her eyes. That trick defined corny.

          Autumn sat in her bedroom, sulking, a pissed off look on her face. She sat at her desk, tapping at it with the eraser end of a pencil. A knock came at her door then and she formed an even bigger scowl.

"Who is it?" Autumn asked, as if she didn't know.

"It's me," her father replied.

Autumn went over and opened the door. "Sorry, Father, no adulterers allowed." She started to shut the door again.

Mr. Tucker stuck his foot in the door to keep it from closing completely. "We're going to talk."

Autumn opened the door again. "About what? How you cheated on my mother? I'd rather _not_ talk about that." She stormed off towards the stairs.

Her father followed her. "Get back here."

"Let me not and say I did," Autumn said coolly. She felt Mr. Tucker grab her wrist. "Don't you dare touch me!" She snatched away.

"What is your problem?"

"_My_ problem? I'm not the bastard that's cheating on Mom," Autumn shouted.

"Watch it," he warned.

"Go to hell," Autumn hissed.

Mr. Tucker suddenly slapped her firmly across the face.

          Autumn stood motionless and touched her cheek. It hadn't hurt, she'd barely felt it. But it still stung her on the inside, worse than anything physical. Autumn, furiously, decked him in the nose and quickly made it bleed. Before her father could say or do anything Autumn kicked him in the upper abdomen, knocking him down. The red head stood there, frozen. Her father slowly tried to get up.

"I... I..." Autumn trailed off still frozen as tears began to form in her eyes. "I don't know what I did!" She turned and raced down the stairs and speeded out the front door.

          Buffy returned to her house with the scroll in hand. Willow unrolled it, revealing Latin symbols, most of them too soiled to make out. Dawn rested against Buffy on the couch later that night, watching Willow sit at the coffee table, trying to decode the words on the scroll.

"Two and one," Willow finally muttered.

Buffy looked up at her. "What?"

"Two and one," Willow said again, looking up at the blonde slayer. "That's all I got. The rest makes no sense. I can't decipher it."

"Two and one?" Dawn repeated.

"That's not so much with the sane," Buffy commented.

"My head hurts, anyway," Willow whined. "I'm sick of reading. Can't you hire someone for this?" Buffy gave her a look. "Sorry."

Dawn rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, I met with the demon I was telling you about," said Buffy. "He didn't exactly look like a threat up close."

"Do they ever?" Dawn chimed in. "Anyway, I'm gonna go to bed. The joys of school are tomorrow." She stood up and headed upstairs.

"Yeah, I'm going to bed, too," said Willow, standing. "I've kind of head it with the whole researching thing today."

Buffy just nodded as Willow followed Dawn up.

          Autumn walked around through her neighborhood after crying a little. The air was a little chilly and she had forgotten to bring a jacket. Autumn spotted a pay phone standing outside of a store. She picked up the receiver, put in a few coins, and dialed Maggie's number. The phone just rang loudly on the other end.

"Come on, Maggie, pick up," Autumn ordered softly.

          The red headed teenager finally hung up the phone and thought frantically on what to do. The one thing she didn't want was to go back home, not to her father. She wouldn't even use that as a last resort. Autumn wondered into the nearby park and decided to snuggle up on a bench.

          A couple hours later she awoke again to a freezing chill passing by. Autumn tried to go back to sleep again but got interrupted once more by what sounded like rustling. She looked around at the trees that were swaying with the wind and thought it could just be a cat. Something abruptly reached out and grabbed the girl by the throat, tossing her off.

"Whoa!" Autumn shouted, crashing into a bunch of bushes by the inside of the gate. She looked over at a vampire. "Oh, great." Autumn stood up a little groggily. "In my last town I only had to worry about muggers."

          The vampire rushed out at her. Autumn jumped down and somersaulted off, making him miss her. She jumped up as the vampire came upon her again. Autumn kicked him swiftly in the chest but didn't put much heart into it. When the vampire went down she turn and ran towards the trees, spotting a fallen branch. Autumn grabbed it and turned back to stake the vampire but felt herself get snatched from behind. She turned her head the best she could to see that another vampire had grasped her. Autumn struggled her best to get away but she was too tired. The next thing she knew, something hit her in the head and everything went black...

A/N: Aren't cliffhangers just plain fun? Yes, they are. Admit it. Anyway, this chapter took me forever to write because of the heavy blockage so please be really nice and give me a really nice review. Please?


	13. Chapter 13 AI Gang

     POTENTIAL 

                                                SECOND

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: I'd like to say thank you to everyone for the reviews that I've gotten so far. I have a plot planned out for this story but if you have any suggestions or requests then I might fill them in.

                                               CHAPTER 13

          Autumn's eyes slowly opened, very slowly. She quickly felt an aching pain in her head, causing her to wince. As she slowly came through Autumn could see the blurred back of a front seat. She realized that she was resting in someone's lap and slowly started to sit up but quickly put her head back down wearily.

"She's waking up," Autumn heard a gentle voice say. It was the voice of the person she was resting on.

"Where am I?" Autumn moaned lowly.

"Are you OK?" a voice from the front seat asked.

"I think so," Autumn replied. "What's going on?"

"Don't worry," the one Autumn was resting on assured her.

Another voice from the front seat told her, "You're lucky we were coming by. Those vampires knocked you unconscious. But they could have done worse than just bite you. Trust me on that."

Autumn finally sat up and got a clear picture of everything. She had been sleeping on Fred. The two up front were Angel and Gunn. Autumn was in a strange car yet she wasn't as scared as she had been when she first woke up.

"Uh, just outta curiosity, who are you people?" Autumn asked the three adults.

"Oh. I'm sorry," Fred apologized. "Hey. I'm Fred Burkle." She pointed to the black man in the passenger seat. "That's my boyfriend, Charles Gunn."

"Never call me Chuck," he warned. Gunn caught Autumn's uneasy look in the mirror. "Just Gunn. Leave it at that."

Autumn started to nod but felt her head. The headache was slowly going away but not fast enough.

"I'm Angel." The vampire looked into the mirror. Autumn saw someone snoring next to her. Connor drooled on her shoulder a little. "That's my son, Connor. Now who are you?"

"Autumn," the girl groaned, holding her head, and shooting a glare at the sleeping Connor. "Autumn Tucker."

"Where do you live?" Angel asked. "We'll take you home."

"No!" Autumn suddenly exclaimed then calmed. "I can't."

"Why not?" Fred asked with concern.

"I just can't, OK?" Autumn sighed.

"A little more info?" Gunn chimed in.

"That's none of your business!" Autumn suddenly snapped.

Gunn was about to say something but Angel stopped him. "We'll figure it out later. Just leave her alone."

Gunn just shut up.

Autumn turned to the window, looking out of it at everything that raced by. Fred played with Autumn's red hair gently. After about five minutes of silence Autumn's headache slowly went away and she began to get bored.

"Where are we going?" Autumn whispered to Fred, who seemed to be the nicest of the three adults.

Fred smiled at her. "A friend of Angel's."

          The car finally pulled to a stop. Autumn glanced out the window and quickly recognized the house that they had stopped in front of.

"This is Buffy and Dawn's house," said Autumn.

"You know them?" Angel asked, climbing out of the car followed by Gunn.

"Yeah," Autumn replied as she and Fred also got out of the car. "Buffy's the slayer and Dawn's her sister."

Gunn looked at Fred who just shrugged. "How do _you_ know that?" Gunn asked Autumn.

"Well, we, uh, met," Autumn answered.

"Wake up, Connor," Angel shouted to his son.

Connor stirred a little before opening his eyes. "What?" he whispered.

"We're here," Fred told him.

Autumn watched the teenaged boy get out of the car, wiping drool from his bottom lip. Autumn looked aghast at him. He was so scrawny and seemed to have more hair than body. Autumn turned to Angel. The vampire was so tall and masculine, not to mention gorgeous. How could his _son_ look like a starving puppy?

"Hi," Connor muttered, noticing the red head.

Autumn waved her hand a little. "Hey."

          The others followed Angel up to Buffy's house, Angel immediately ringing the bell. Buffy appeared at the door a few seconds later, clearly just woken up, her blonde hair in a tight ponytail. Buffy squinted up at the one who had rung her bell and had to rub her eyes to believe it.

"A-Angel?" The slayer stuttered.

Angel gave her a small smile. "Buffy..."

They stood there, frozen.

Gunn finally decided to interject. "OK. Awkward silence is fun but the sun will be up soon and, you know, Angel would be a pile of dust that we'd have to vacuum up with one of them dirtdevils."

Buffy glanced pass Angel at the others and Autumn. "Is this gonna happen every night?" She turned back to Angel. "Come in."

The others all followed Buffy into her living room where she offered them all a seat. Fred sat down next to Gunn on the couch, Connor sitting at the end. Autumn sat down in Buffy's armchair. Before Angel could take a seat Buffy grabbed his arm and ordered him to follow her into the kitchen. Angel did so and Buffy turned to him, arms folded, clearly angry.

"What?" Angel asked confused with her expression.

"What? _What_? Angel, you wake me up at..." Buffy glanced at a clock. "Five o'clock in the morning, no call, no warning, nothing! I'm sick of this happening. Believe it or not it's big with the annoying."

"Look I'm sorry," Angel apologized, a little snapping in his voice. "I wouldn't have come so late but, you know, sunlight and I don't agree."

Buffy sighed deeply. "What's going on?"

"What do you mean?"

"Angel, come off it. Whenever we see each other something is wrong," Buffy pointed out bluntly. "Neither of us our big with the social so just tell me what's up."

Angel sighed. She had a point. "I need your help."

Buffy kept her arms folded. "With?"

"Something tried to come after Connor," Angel told her. "Only we can't ID it. Gunn and I have both looked at our sources, Fred's done all the research she can, but this thing doesn't want to be found."

"So why come to me?" Buffy asked him.

"Because I need your help," Angel replied simply. "So... can I get it?"

Buffy thought for a moment, fidgeting a little, then nodded.

          In the living room everyone was pretty quiet except for Fred who made comments about how she liked Buffy's home. Gunn pretended to listen but felt like falling asleep. Autumn twitched a little, getting an uneasy feeling from Connor looking at her.

"Do you have to stare at me?" Autumn suddenly snapped at him.

"Sorry," Connor apologized coolly. "But one question?"

"What?"

"Are you stupid or just good vamp prey?" Connor asked her.

Autumn scowled. "Are you ugly or were you born with some kind of medical condition _or_ were you just some kind of insane plastic surgeon's prey?"

Gunn chuckled.

Fred hid a giggle behind her hand.

Connor glared at a smirking Autumn.

Dawn came down then, clad in pajamas. She stopped when she saw Autumn and the group of strangers. "Uh, hi?"

"Hi," Fred waved with a smile.

Gunn nodded his head.

"Hey," Connor grunted.

"Hi, Dawn." Autumn looked her over. "Those are nice PJ's. How much do those go for?"

Dawn blushed a little. "What's going on here?"

Buffy and Angel re-entered the living room then. "OK," Buffy started. "You guys can stay here until we figure out what's going on with, uh, Connor."

"Who's Connor?" Dawn asked her sister. Buffy pointed at the thin boy on the couch. "Oh."

"One thing, Autumn," said Buffy to the red haired girl. "Why are you with them?"

Autumn shrugged. "I got knocked out by a vampire, they saved my life, I'm forever in debt now."

Buffy nodded coolly. "Yeah, been there, done that."

A/N: This chapter seemed to take me forever to write. So you have to review and be very nice please.


	14. Chapter 14 Dawnnapper

     POTENTIAL 

                                                SECOND

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: I'd like to say thank you to everyone for the reviews that I've gotten so far. I have a plot planned out for this story but if you have any suggestions or requests then I might fill them in.

                                               CHAPTER 14

          Dawn walked through the halls of school that morning before the first bell rang. She was a little tired since she hadn't gone back to sleep right away after seeing Angel and meeting his friends. As her head dropped wearily, Dawn felt someone touch her wrist gently. She turned to see Jeff.

"Hi," Dawn smiled brightly.

"Hi," Jeff returned the smile.

Dawn pushed her brown hair behind her ear, blushing a little. "So what's up?"

"Have you seen my sister?" Jeff asked, going to a serious expression. "She didn't come home last night and, you know, it's kind of my job to be freaked out I guess."

Dawn nodded. "She's at my house. She needed to clear her head a little."

"Oh. Well, she didn't miss anything," Jeff shrugged. "Just our parents arguing, not even over her."

"Well, I... I'm sorry about that," Dawn faltered a little. "That must be tough."

"You learn to live with it." Jeff looked Dawn over, a playful boyish smile on his face.

Dawn reddened a little at him looking at her. "What are you doing?"

"You know... just enjoying the scenery," Jeff replied coolly.

Dawn was caught off guard by that and stared at him. She was about to say something until a British voice interrupted her.

"Hello, Dawn, Jeff," Maggie greeted.

Jeff glanced at the blonde. "Hey."

Dawn turned to her. "Hi, Maggie." Dawn's eyes grew a little when she saw the white bandage taped under Maggie's eye, clearly a bruise left over from their little patrolling night. "Are you OK?"

"Oh, I'm fine," Maggie assured her. "Nothing starburst won't fix." She turned to Jeff. "Where's Autumn? I tried calling her but my blasted uncle wouldn't let me use the phone."

Jeff pointed at Dawn. "At her house."

"She just needed some time to think," Dawn told Maggie.

Maggie nodded and Dawn and Jeff went back to beaming at each other.

          Autumn rested in Dawn's bed late that morning, also wearing a pair of jeans and a long sleeved blouse of hers. Autumn had barely gotten any sleep earlier and was enjoying the moment of peace. The private tranquility ended when Autumn heard what sounded like thumping coming back and forth pass Dawn's door. She slowly crawled out of the bed and saw Connor purposely pacing back and forth and knocked on the wall as he went. He turned to her with a smirk.

Autumn glared and crossed her arms. "What are you doing?"

Connor smiled teasingly. "Thought you could use a wake up call is all."

"That wasn't funny," Autumn snapped firmly. "I'm trying to get some sleep in. Do you mind?"

"Obviously I do," Connor replied coolly.

          The girl's glare grew. Jeff, why couldn't he be there? Older brothers were supposed to be here so they could protect their poor defenseless little sisters from strong, horrid boys like Connor. Never mind the fact she was neither poor, nor defenseless and that Connor wasn't strong. Horrid yes, strong no.

Autumn smiled sweetly. "Connor, honey, with all due respect..." her voice turned harsh. "Why don't you get out of my face, crawl back into whatever filthy corpse you rotted out from under, and never come out!" She went back into the room and slammed the door.

Connor flinched a little. She was as sizzling as her hair.

"Connor!" Connor approached the stairs and saw Angel. "What's going on?"

Connor shrugged his shoulders. "She's in a mood." He went down the stairs, pass Angel.

          Later that after at school Dawn was in the girls' bathroom, looking into a mirror after washing her hands. As she bounced her long hair she thought she saw what looked like someone in the mirror. Dawn looked catching an odd glimpse of what looked like a bloody skeleton. Dawn gasped and quickly spun around. Nothing was there, just the empty bathroom. She sighed with relief and shrugged it off as her being paranoid.

          Dawn exited the bathroom and headed off down the hall. Footsteps seem to follow her and her head slowly turned back. The back of the hallway was deserted. When Dawn looked in front of her again she shrieked loudly seeing someone but it turned out to be Jeff.

"Shush," Jeff hushed her. "What's wrong?"

Dawn sighed. "You scared me."

"I can see that," said Jeff. "Why are you so freaked out?"

"It's nothing. I was just in the bathroom and—" Dawn became muzzled as a blood covered hand grabbed her mouth.

 Jeff screeched out in fear when he saw some type of gigantic, bloodied creature holding onto her. 

Dawn screamed muffled as she was dragged off down the hall.

"Dawn!" Jeff shouted, racing after her. The creature quickly turned a corner. When Jeff got there he saw nothing, no monster, but most of all no Dawn. She was gone.

          Jeff frantically began looking into classroom windows, up and down the hall. He finally spotted Maggie in one of them with the door opened. Maggie, glancing towards the door, noticed him.

"What are you doing?" Maggie mouthed.

"Come with me," Jeff mouthed back.

Maggie had to think of what to do and decided to raise her hand. The teacher called on her. "May I have the bathroom pass, please?" The teacher just nodded, gave her the pass, and Maggie scooted out of the room. "What's going on here?" she asked Jeff.

"You have to come with me, now. It's important."

Maggie shook her head slowly. "Are you bloody mad? I can't just leave in the middle of class—"

"Dawn's been taken," Jeff cut her off firmly. Maggie looked at him strangely. "You know how to get to her sister's house. Come on."

          Maggie fidgeted a little then followed Jeff out to the car he always used to drop off he and Autumn. The British girl climbed into the front seat and Jeff started to drive before she could even touch the seatbelt. Jeff, thanks to directions from Maggie, pulled up in front of the Summers household. Maggie nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Giles answer the door.

"What are you doing here?" the English people asked each other simultaneously.

Giles pulled Maggie into the house. Jeff followed. "What do you think you're doing?" Giles hissed at his niece. He glanced at his watch. "The last time I checked you had another hour before school ended."

"I know," Maggie hissed back. "But something came up. I had to leave."

Giles groaned angrily. "What could have possibly—?" 

"Dawn got kidnapped," Jeff interrupted for the second time that day.

Giles slowly took off his glasses, a form of disbelief crossed his face. "What?"

"Jeff says she was taken, Uncle Rupert," Maggie clarified. "We have to do something. Where's..." Maggie trailed off as Angel walked up. "... Buffy." She smiled bashfully at the tall vampire. "Hello."

"Hi," Angel greeted the girl absent-mindedly. "What's going on?"

"Buffy's sister has been kidnapped," Giles informed him.

"Well, where's Buffy?" Jeff asked.

"Not here," Giles replied. "That's why I'm here. She asked me to hold things down for her."

"Well, Uncle Rupert..." Maggie kept her eyes focused on Angel. "What do we do exactly?"

"We have to contact Buffy at the pool hall," Angel chimed in.

          At the aforementioned pool hall Buffy nudged her pool stick against the balls on a table and they went flying into different holes. Willow and Xander stood nearby, Xander with a plat of French-fries in his hand.

"Nice one, Buffy," Willow commented.

"Thanks." Buffy turned to the witch. "This is fun. I needed to get a way for a while."

"Away from dead boy you mean," Xander commented, absorbed in his fries.

"No," Buffy told him matter-of-factly. "Honestly seeing Angel isn't so bad."

"I get what you mean," said Willow, positioning to take her turn at pool. "It's like digging a whole and then getting a visit from a _really_ big shovel." Buffy and Xander stared at her strangely. "Um, I make up theories."

"Well, yeah." Buffy looked at Xander. "What she said."

Willow aimed her pool stick at the black eight ball. As soon as she hit it the ball split in two, equal halves, going into a hole on each side of the table. Willow looked at her stick and the pool table strangely.

"Um, I got two in one?" she told her friends.

"Two in one?" Buffy questioned puzzled.

"Weird," Xander said.

"I know," Willow agreed. "Something must be up with these balls."

"No, I mean this." Willow and Buffy turned to him. He held up a pair of French fries that seemed to be joined together. "Double jointed fry. Now that's cool."

Buffy rolled her eyes. He seemed to get entertained so easily. The slayer's cell phone went off then and she reached to the back of her belt and grabbed it.

"Hello?" Buffy greeted into the phone. "Oh, hey, Giles." Buffy's eyes widened. "Dawn what?"

A/N: I would like to thank my good buddy, Pyro Bear, for helping me with this story and I suggest to you that you look at her work, which is awesome. *Waves with a smile* Thanks, Pyro. Please review.


	15. Chapter 15 Fiery Red Head

      POTENTIAL 

                                                SECOND

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: I'd like to say thank you to everyone for the reviews that I've gotten so far. I have a plot planned out for this story but if you have any suggestions or requests then I might fill them in.

                                               CHAPTER 15

          Buffy, Willow, and Xander all marched into the Summers home, Buffy with an irate, yet determined look on her face. As they entered the living room where the others were Autumn came down to see what was going on. Angel stood up from where he sat and went over to Buffy.

"Buffy, you hung up on me," the vampire said. "You didn't even give me time to—"

"What happened to Dawn?" Buffy asked strong-mindedly.

"She got kidnapped," Jeff piped up, explaining the story once again. "We were at school and she was freaking out a little over something she'd seen and the next thing I know this big... thing has her and just takes her away."

"We have to find her," Buffy said firmly as if she hadn't even heard Jeff's story.

"Jeff." Everyone turned to see Autumn. She went up and gave her brother a quick hug. "Hey. Look we need to talk."

"Can't it wait?" Jeff asked her, brushing her off.

"No," Autumn replied directly. "It's important."

"Not as important as this," Dawn told the younger slayer.

Jeff started, "Dawn's been—" 

"Kidnapped!" Autumn interrupted. "Yeah, I heard. Is that all you care about, Dawn, Dawn, Dawn? I've seen the way you drool over her, Jeff. What? Does tall and skinny do it for you now? You always did have a thing for Alley Mcbeal."

"What's with _you_?" Jeff snapped. "You can't think about anyone but yourself for once?"

Everyone in the room stopped to look at the scene between brother and sister.

"Yeah, Jeff, this is the way it is with you, isn't it? You find out that your sister is some... _Chosen One_ and the first thing you look at is the tall brunette." Autumn scoffed in disgust. "You don't even care that Dad's cheating on Mom."

That caught Jeff off guard. "Wait. What do you mean by—?"

Autumn nodded with a smirk. "That's right, Jeffy. Dad has been cheating on Mom." She scoffed again. "And you say _I'm_ absorbed in my own world?"

Jeff didn't know what to say. Just stood there stunned.

Autumn heard a snicker from behind her and turned to see Connor.

"You're kind of dramatic," the bush haired boy commented. "Why don't you take it easy?"

"Why don't _you_ stay out of my business?" the red head retorted. "Plus didn't I tell you to find your trusty rotted corpse and slitter under it?"

Connor sneered at her, looking amused. "Yeah, I was in hell for a good chunk of my life and you think _that_ hurts me?"

"Connor..." Angel warned.

"No," Autumn replied to Connor. She suddenly hurled off and socked him in the mouth, taking all of them by surprise.

"Whoa!" Gunn observed, slightly impressed.

Connor held his bleeding mouth.

Angel looked furious.

"Autumn." Maggie couldn't believe her.

Autumn turned to Maggie next. "Oh, and where have _you_ been, off drinking tea with the queen?"

Maggie's mouth dropped open in shock at Autumn's coarseness. "Autumn, I tried calling you."

"Yeah? Could have fooled me," Autumn said callously. "Here I thought we were friends. I guess I was wrong. I'll just go back to happy, anti-social Autumn."

Maggie's eyes widened. Was this really Autumn?

"OK." Buffy pointed at Autumn. "_You _need to calm down."

Autumn looked at her and scoffed. "Or what? You won't impart your slayer wisdom on me? Ooh, I'm so scared."

"What's with you?" Connor asked, also surprised by her.

Autumn glanced at him again angrily. "What? You didn't get enough last time? Let me help with that." Autumn socked him in the face again, making his head roll back. She suddenly kicked him in his lower stomach, hard, making him fall down. "I'm sick of you!"

Angel practically ran to Connor's side.

Fred stood and approached Autumn. "Honey, Buffy's right. You need to calm down."

"Leave me alone!" Autumn shouted at her. "You don't know anything about me!" She looked around at all the surprised faces. "None of you do. You don't know what it's like to pack up and leave your home, suddenly have this lame ass destiny tossed your way, have a brother who lives to make your life hell, and, to put the nice cherry on top, have your father cheat on your family!" Autumn had practically lost it.

"Stop it," Buffy ordered firmly, approaching the teenager. "You think you're the only one who ever had to move away, or change schools, or feel like they lost everything? My parents aren't even together anymore. Don't get me started with the lame ass destiny thing."

"Yeah, well, that's all good and sweet. But has the man who calls himself your watcher ever given up on you?" Autumn asked. Buffy stood silent, glancing down at the floor. "I thought not."

"Autumn." She looked at her brother. Jeff pointed down. "You hurt him."

          Autumn looked down at Connor, who looked pretty injured, clutching his heavily bleeding mouth. Angel held onto his son and shot a glare up at Autumn. Images flashed through Autumn's head then. She had done the same thing to her father. Mr. Tucker had been barely able to stand.

"Oh, my God..." Autumn exclaimed softly. From out of nowhere tears formed in her eyes and she sobbed openly. "What did I do?"

Fred, without hesitation, reached out and pulled Autumn into a hug. "Honey, it's all right."

Autumn shook her head and pulled away from Fred. "No." She turned to Connor. "I'm so sorry." Autumn looked at the group. "I'm sorry!" She wanted to leave out the door but decided she had nowhere to go and just ran upstairs.

"Wow." Xander watched her go up. "Talk about mood swings." Willow glared at him. "What?"

Fred proceeded to go upstairs, after the red haired girl.

"Uh, is it safe for my girl to be going up there?" Gunn asked. "You know. Like a fly when they go into one of them zappers. Why do they do that?"

"Fred will be fine," Angel assured Gunn but his worries wore all on Connor. "Are you all right?"

Connor nodded. Mostly his pride hurt.

Giles saw how hurt Maggie looked and approached her. "Are you all right, sweetheart?"

Maggie stood frozen for a moment. "Yes, I'm fine."

"Giles, Autumn was right about one thing," Buffy said. The Englishman turned to her. "You never did give up on me. We need to get Wesley here, now."

Upstairs Fred knocked on Dawn's bedroom door, where Autumn had run. "Autumn, please. I know you're in there."

"I can't talk right now," Fred heard Autumn's muffled voice.

Fred opened the door to see Autumn's face stuffed under a pillow. "I'm sorry. I couldn't hear you. Did you say come in?"

Autumn pulled her head out from under the pillow as Fred walked over and took a seat near her on the bed. "Life's a joke."

"What do you mean?"

"One minute you're in New York and having a halfway decent life. The next minute you're in Sunnyhell and you're all super hero-y and humiliating yourself by bursting into tears in front of a large group of people." Autumn sighed and pouted.

Fred offered her a smile. "Well, if it helps, I spent five years in another dimension starving in a cave." Autumn looked at her strangely. "Yeah, it's true."

Autumn slowly became interested. "What happened?"

"I was rescued by Angel, Charles, Wesley, and Cordelia."

"Wait," Autumn stopped her. "Number one, _Wesley_ saved you? Number two, who is Cordelia?"

"Oh, well, Cordelia use to work with us at AI, Angel Investigations, that's what we call ourselves. And, yes, Wesley did help me but I fell in love with Charles."

Autumn became filled with questions as if she were a curious five-year-old. "Wait. If Wesley worked with you then why doesn't he anymore?"

Fred fidgeted. Should she really explain it all? "That's a long story," the brunette finally replied.

"Well, what about Angel?" Autumn inquired, loosening up to Fred, even enjoying her company. "What's his deal?"

Fred smiled and decided to start from the beginning.

          Later as sunset came a ring came at Buffy's door. She, Willow, Jeff, and Connor were all in the living room. Autumn and Fred were still upstairs and the others were scattered about the house. Buffy went and answered her bell, revealing it to be Wesley.

"You finally made it over," Buffy said. "Gee, that only took you an eternity."

Wesley moved passed Buffy. "Well, where is she?" he asked.

"Who, Autumn?" Buffy asked, shutting her door.

"No, Britney Spears. Of course I mean Autumn," Wesley replied.

Buffy rolled her eyes. His humor wasn't very humor_ous_. "Your mini slayer is upstairs." She went into the living room with Wesley behind her.

Jeff looked up at Wesley, recognizing him. "It's another British guy."

Connor glared at the British guy, as Jeff had put it. "What's _he_ doing here?"

"He's Autumn's watcher," Buffy told Connor. "Let me guess, you have some issues with him, too?"

"It's only _his_ fault that I ended up in a hell dimension." Connor continued to glare at Wesley.

"Nice to see you again, Connor," Wesley said, ignoring the boy's fierce look.

          Autumn and Fred headed down the hall, going towards the stairs. Fred had filled Autumn in on the past Buffy and Angel history, about how Angel has a soul and the difference between he and Angelus, Connor's situation, even though she had left out the part about Wesley being the kidnapper, and a few more facts she thought might interest the girl or, at least, bring her out of her depression.

"Fred, I can't believe these stories," Autumn beamed as they reached the stairs. "You have an _interesting_ life."

"Better get use to it," Fred smiled back. "I get the feeling yours is about to head in that direction." They went down to the living room then and Fred spotted Wesley. "Um, which is about to start now."

Autumn slowly walked up to Wesley. "Um, what are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to you," Wesley replied. "Autumn, I never meant to hurt you."

Autumn crossed her arms stubbornly. "What makes you think you hurt me?" Wesley just stared at her humorlessly. "All right, you hurt me."

"I'm sorry," Wesley apologized. "But I still need to know that I can trust you. Can I?" Autumn just nodded. "I'd like an actual reply, please."

Autumn was caught off guard by the firmness in his voice. He sounded like a principal. "You can trust me. Really." 

"That's good. Then I think, maybe I can try it, at being your watcher."

Fred smiled. The moment between them was so sweet. Angel walking in interrupted the moment. Connor looked up at his father, who didn't look at all happy to see Wesley.

Autumn turned to an angry Angel. "Uh, hey, Angel." Autumn coward in fear as Angel came upon her. "Look I'm sorry about hitting Con—" As Angel swung a punch Autumn gasped.

Angel socked Wesley in the face. "You son of a bitch," Angel called him in a low voice.

Wesley held his aching jaw, as he looked Angel in the eyes. "Angel, you have every right to be upset."

"Hey!" Autumn stood protectively in front of Wesley. "That... was so not nice."

"He kidnapped my son," Angel told her.

Autumn turned to Wesley with a shocked look on her face. "That was _so_ not nice."

"It's a long story," Wesley said to the red head.

"I heard the story." Autumn turned to Fred. "I just didn't hear _this_ part exactly."

"Um, Wesley, hi," Willow finally greeted him.

Wesley looked at her. "Hello, Willow."

"Those were warm greetings," Buffy noted sarcastically.

Angel looked down at Autumn. "By the way, I would never hit a kid." He nodded his head towards Connor. "Except maybe him."

Connor glared at his father. "Hey!"

"Need I remind you people that Dawn is still missing?" Buffy piped up. "Jeff, what was the demon you saw? Maybe Willow can ID it."

Jeff thought. "It was huge, really huge, bloody, yuck, and... well, it's hard to describe."

Maggie entered the room then. "What's going on around here?" she asked with her arms folded. A hole formed in the middle of the floor then, large enough to fit a demon, the demon that had taken Dawn, through it. The disgusting demon crawled from the hole and grabbed Maggie. "Aah!"

"Maggie!" nearly the entire room exclaimed.

The demon began to drag Maggie down into the hole.

She screamed horrified.

Giles ran in then. "Margaret!"

Autumn and Buffy rushed up. "Maggie, hold on!" Autumn shouted.

"Take my hand!" Giles yelled out to Maggie, reaching his arm out.

Maggie tried to reach her own hand out but the demon held her tightly, pinning her down.

Before Buffy or Autumn could move the hole was gone and so was Maggie.

"Oh, my God!" Autumn couldn't believe it.

Jeff said, "Uh, it looked like that."

A/N: There is a lot of dialogue in this chapter but I love that stuff. Well, please review.


	16. Chapter 16 One in Two

     POTENTIAL 

                                                SECOND

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: I'd like to say thank you to everyone for the reviews that I've gotten so far. I have a plot planned out for this story but if you have any suggestions or requests then I might fill them in.

                                               CHAPTER 16

          Autumn stood frozen, staring at the spot where some type of monster had shown up and taken Maggie away. It had been disgusting, huge, and its body was practically made out of blood. In short, that thing had been too disgusting to bear. Autumn, frantic, ran towards the front door, taking everyone by surprise when she dashed out. The red haired girl looked down the street only to see Spike heading that way. Autumn surprised everyone again when she dashed right back inside.

"That blonde vampire, who is clearly not _naturally_ blonde, is heading this way," she announced.

"Spike," Buffy made clear.

Angel groaned. "Great..."

"Who?" Connor asked clueless.

"That British guy who has it in for me," Jeff said. He shrugged. "Gotta admit, the guy defines cool."

"Cool or not he adores Dawn," Willow chimed in. She looked around at the group. "Who's gonna tell him she's gone?"

"I'm kind of distraught right now," said Autumn. "You know with my friend being sucked away by a monster into a mystery hole thing."

The door opened then, revealing Spike. The room all stopped and stared at him. Spike looked at them all strangely until his eyes floated off towards Angel's direction.

"You," Spike said simply.

"You, _too_." Angel rolled his eyes.

Buffy also rolled her eyes and turned to Spike. "Just in time. Dawn's missing."

"Well... I guess _she_ told him," said Willow, pointing a finger at Buffy.

"Again?" Spike groaned then looked at Buffy. "You really need to get a pager for the girl."

Autumn turned to Wesley. "What was that thing that took Maggie?"

"Ridhor demon." Everyone looked at Giles, who had just piped up. "Its name means horrid. They're unable to speak or process much thought."

"So Dawn and Maggie were taken by the demon of illiteracy?" Xander asked confused.

"No," Giles replied. "They're only underlings."

"Meaning they or _it_ works for something bigger," Buffy clarified, mostly to herself.

*****Flashback*****

          Maggie walked down the stairs of her home in London and went into the dining room for breakfast. It was the same scene she saw every morning; her mother and father sitting at the large table while the butler served them tea and their breakfast. Maggie said her good mornings and sat down at the table.

"Oh, Margaret, good you're here," said Mrs. Strider. "We need to talk."

"Oh? What about?" Maggie asked, reaching for melted chocolate to put on her pancakes.

"Margaret..." Mr. Strider warned.

Maggie pouted and reached for low sugar syrup. "So what do we need to talk about?"

Giles entered the dining room then. "Good morning," he greeted.

Maggie practically leapt out of her seat to give him a tight hug. "Uncle Rupert!"

Giles smiled and hugged the girl back. "How are you, sweetheart?"

"I'm fine," Maggie replied as she pulled back with a bright smile on her face. "Oh, I missed you so much! When did you get in?"

"Last night," Giles told her, going to sit at the table, Maggie going back to her seat. "I wanted to say hello last night but didn't want to wake you."

"It would have been fine." Maggie looked at her parents. "Is this what you needed to talk about? Uncle Rupert visiting?"

"Actually, dear, it's about school," Mr. Strider said.

Maggie looked up at him.

"We've decided on the perfect high school," Ms. Strider practically shrieked with delight. "St. Mary Anne's for young ladies."

Maggie's face fell and she pushed her plate away. "I'm suddenly not very hungry."

"_You're_ not hungry?" Mr. Strider nearly gasped.

"Dad, you don't honestly expect me to go to St. Mary Anne's?" Maggie whined. "I know a few of those girls. They're all exactly the same. Bloody clones!"

"St. Mary Anne's is a wonderful institution," Mrs. Strider argued, taking a sip of her tea. "We've decided you can get the very best education there." She kept sipping at the tea.  "And I doubt you've made previous plans."

Maggie looked at Giles for support, giving him her best doll eyes.

Giles sighed and looked at the Striders. "Maybe Margaret has made plans of her own. It would be good for you two to trust her judgment in her education."

Mrs. Strider nodded in agreement and turned to her husband. "Rupert has a point, dear."

"Yes." Mr. Strider sipped his orange juice. "I would have to agree."

Maggie beamed. "Great. Because I want to go to school in America."

The three adults all dropped their forks and stared at her.

"What was that?" Mrs. Strider asked her.

"I want to go to school in America," Maggie repeated. "It'll be great. I can learn a whole new culture."

"Oh, and exactly how do you plan to attend school in America?" Mr. Strider questioned.

"Simple," Maggie answered. "I can stay with Uncle Rupert."

Giles nearly choked on the tea he was drinking. "Now hold on—"

Maggie just continued to talk. "Mum, Dad, please! This means so much to me. I'll do anything. I'll study hard; make the grade, whatever you want me to do. Just please... let me have this chance."

Mr. Strider looked at his wife, seeing what she would say.

Mrs. Strider sighed deeply. "I suppose... if it's all right with your uncle."

Maggie beamed and turned to Giles.

Giles also released a deep sigh. How could he possibly refuse her? "All right. She can stay in Sunnydale with me."

Maggie leapt up out of her seat and ran around to hug Giles tightly around the neck. "Oh, thank you, Uncle Rupert! You're the very best."

"Don't you forget it," Giles warned playfully.

Maggie smiled again and ran out of the room shrieking.

Mr. Strider looked at Giles. "One thing, though, Rupert. Don't let that child near coffee."

*****End Flashback*****

          Maggie slowly awoke to the sound of something dripping. She gradually sat up and looked around her surroundings. The girl was in a large, dimly lit prison cell. That explained the dripping water sound. Somehow in prison things always sounded like water dripping. Maggie looked over at a prison bench where Dawn lay sleeping.

Maggie crawled over to her and shook her. "Dawn, wake up," Maggie whispered with a hiss in her voice. "Come on, luv, wake up."

Dawn moaned in her sleep and slowly opened her eyes and, like Maggie, looked around. "Oh, my God..." Dawn sat up on the bench. "Where are we?"

Maggie glanced about the cell. "Obviously... in some sort of prison." She stood up.

"Prison?" Dawn echoed in disbelief. "No way. They can't put me away. I returned all that stuff I stole! Like I'm the only one in the world with klepto-ness." Maggie stared at her strangely. "Never mind."

          Back at Buffy's house everyone had scattered about, keeping busy in some way. Willow sat on the couch, at her laptop, Buffy paced back and forth with her arms folded; Xander and Autumn were having a debate over X-men VS. Superman, Gunn sat in a lazy boy with Fred on the arm of it looking uneasily, Connor and Jeff watched Spike and Angel having a glaring contest, both very good competitors, and Giles busily cleaned his glasses for the third time in the past half an hour.

"Got it," Willow suddenly announced, catching them all by surprise. "Sorry. But I found something about that ridhor demon thing-y."

"What is it, Will?" Buffy asked, pushing her blonde hair behind her ears and going around to look at Willow's computer screen.

"I figured out whom this ridhor was working for," Willow explained. "A woman named Malfoy, beautiful yet defiant. Legends tell that she use to belong to a demon clan that specialized in fire and ice. However Malfoy was a failure and disappointment so—"

"So she was booted," Buffy interrupted. "I could have guessed that. Keep going."

Willow nodded and went back to the screen. "She swore revenge and would come back to..." Willow used her mouse to roll the rest of the screen down. "To steal the blood of the five adolescences, each with a desirable ability. One will be known as the miracle child..."

"Connor," Angel suddenly interrupted.

Willow nodded.

"I won," Spike smirked, referring to the glaring contest.

Angel glared at him, contest or no.

Willow went back to reading. "One will be the key—" 

"That's Dawn," Spike interjected.

It was Angel's turn to smirk. "Now who's the winner?"

"Another," Willow continued. "Will be the slayer."

"Is that me?" Autumn suddenly asked, pointing at herself.

"You're an adolescent," Xander said. "Fill in the blanks."

Autumn rolled her eyes. "You're just mad because Wolverine can kick Superman's butt."

"Can I finish?" Willow asked boldly. They all quieted. "Thank you." She began to read again. "The fourth will be the sensory of all forms of darkness and the fifth will be..."

"What is it, Willow?" Buffy asked about Willow's sudden pause.

"It doesn't say," Willow replied, staring at her screen. "It's just blank."

"That's kinda creepy," Fred commented, glancing at Gunn who just nodded.

"Hold on," Giles said. "The sensory of all darkness? What is that?"

"Well, Connor is the miracle child, Dawn is the key, Autumn's the slayer, the fifth is unknown, so the sensory of all darkness must be..." Willow trailed off realizing.

"Margaret." Giles's voice was low. He couldn't believe it. "But how?"

"Yeah, double that how," said Buffy.

"Hold on." Willow got up, putting her computer down on the table and went into the dining room. She came back with the scroll Buffy had gotten from the demon. "This should give us some answers."

"_That_," said Xander, pointing at the scroll. "Is dirty, rolled up paper."

          Willow just ignored him and rolled the scroll down on the table. If anything would give them answers, that dirty, rolled up paper should.

          Maggie paced back and forth in the cell, Dawn watching her feet move. Maggie looked frantic, nearly insane. The British girl suddenly stopped pacing and looked at Dawn, her blue eyes with a certain fire in them. Maggie released a deep breath and abruptly ran up to the prison bars.

"Let me out of here!" she shouted. "I am not a bird! I don't poop on bloody newspaper and I will not be locked up!"

Dawn went up to her. "Maggie, calm down."  
  


"Calm down," Maggie practically screamed. "I left London for a reason. I get a fair trial in this bloody country! Innocent until proven guilty! What kind of justice is this?"

Dawn shook her. "Snap out of it!"

Maggie cooled down a little. "I... I..." she began to tear up. "I left my liquorish sticks at home." Tears poured out of her eyes in buckets then.

Dawn slowly and awkwardly put her arms around her, rubbing her back, and silently prayed that they'd get out of there... _sooner_ rather than later.

At nearly two in the morning Willow was still up trying to translate the soiled scroll. Everyone else in the room was asleep. Spike, Connor, and Jeff were all in a line on the floor, their eyes closed, Autumn rested up against Xander, Angel snored on the couch softly, Buffy's head had dropped into his lap, Fred was in Gunn's lap, both dead tired, their arms wrapped around one another, and Giles was the only one half awake, compliments of a couple cups of coffee he'd had earlier.

A small smile spread across Willow's face. "I got it!" she exclaimed.

Nearly all of the eyes in the room shot open in surprise. Spike, Connor, and Jeff all sat up at the same time, Autumn moaned against Xander but also awoke, Fred sat up in Gunn's lap as the black man groaned waking up, and Giles released a yawn but was more awake than any of them. Only Angel and Buffy continued to sleep.

Gunn picked up a nearby pillow and tossed it at Angel's head. The vampire nearly jumped out of his skin, causing the slayer's eyes to also open. Buffy moaned a little sleepily until she realized where she laid and popped up.

She smiled sheepishly at Angel. "Sorry."

"Oh, it's OK, anytime," Angel said quickly then thought about it. "Wait. I mean... it's fine."

"Willow," Autumn's voice came, causing the witch to look over at her. "What'd you find?"

"Oh," Willow said, her attention had been on Buffy and Angel, then turned to the scroll. "Buffy, you know how this had read two and one?"

"Yeah," Buffy nodded.

"Well..." Willow's voice faded shamefacedly. "Not what it said."

Buffy sighed. "Big surprise. OK, Will? What _does_ it say?"

Willow started to read. "One in two. Slayer departed a one another will come. Slayer departed a two duo shall come."

"Uh, Willow, clear that up," Xander said. "Just a tad bit."

Willow sighed deeply. "It means that when Buffy died the first time Kendra came. Then she died twice and two came, Autumn and Maggie."

Autumn looked completely bewildered. "Um, say what?"

Willow was nearly tired of explaining. "Since Buffy died twice her powers were divided in half—"

"Like those double freeze pop things," Jeff suddenly interrupted. "I love those." He received a glare from everyone in the room. "I'll shut up."

"_Any_way," Willow went on irritated. "Autumn became the slayer with the physical powers _but_ Maggie has the power to detect a vamp and Autumn can't."

"That explains it," Autumn said, still leaning against Xander. "It's why Maggie was so into me taking the slayer thing seriously and how she could tell when those vampires were coming and I couldn't." She thought about something. "But I still have the kicking butt thing, right?"

"Always," Buffy replied.

Autumn smiled.

"Wait a minute. How come no one looked at her when she interrupted?" Jeff asked. "God, everywhere I go she's the favorite."

"So now that we understand it we can save Dawn and Maggie," Buffy said as if it were that simple.

"Wait," Spike chimed in. "What if the chits are—"

"No," Willow shook her head. "She wouldn't kill them. Not until she has the others. Malfoy can't risk it."

"What about the ridhor?" Fred asked. "Won't it be after Autumn and Connor now?"

Buffy turned to Angel. "She's right. If this thing came after Connor once it'll come after him again."

"I won't let that happen," Angel said firmly.

Connor scoffed. "Great... fatherly protection."

Jeff leaned in towards Connor. "Dude, if it helps my dad _sucks_ right now."

Connor just rolled his head back.

A/N: This chapter took me too long to write. So you'd better like it, people. Either that or you'll be in for a strongly worded lecture. Please review, folks.


	17. Chapter 17 Into the Hole

     POTENTIAL                                                 SECOND 

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: I'd like to say thank you to everyone for the reviews that I've gotten so far. I have a plot planned out for this story but if you have any suggestions or requests then I might fill them in.

                                                     CHAPTER 17

          Dawn lay stretched across the cell's bench, her long hair down touching the floor. Maggie sat in a corner hugging her knees, a frantic look on her face. It was like every minute she spent in the cell was a minute far too long.

"We're never gonna make it out," Maggie whispered, shaking back and forth.

"Don't say that," Dawn said, sitting up. "Buffy's faced worse than this. We'll get out of here."

Maggie shook more, like a restless jumping bean. "I cannot take it. It's too much."

Dawn's heart went out for her. The brunette's eyes peered over towards what looked like... "A vent! Maggie, look!"

Maggie looked where Dawn pointed and there was a small vent in another corner of the room. "Oh, gosh! It is. Let's make a break!" She practically tripped trying to get to the opening.

          Maggie and Dawn managed to yank of the front of the vent and crawled inside. The passageway led down a thin tunnel heading in only one direction. Dawn and her British accomplice found themselves at another vent that was much higher up then the one that had led them there. Maggie paled when she saw high up the vent was from the room. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the ridhor demon crawling around like a large, blood covered roach.

Maggie nearly screamed but Dawn clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Shush!" Dawn hissed. "Be quiet."

Maggie nodded as Dawn removed her hand. "What do you think is going on?"

"Oh, Ridhor," a female, all too friendly voice called. "Come here."

The demon crawled over like a snail towards the voice.

"What is that?" Dawn wondered.

"Ridhor, my pretty baby, when are you going to get the others. You know we can't have our own clan with just the key and the detector. Come on. We need the others."

Dawn and Maggie exchanged a confused look. What was this woman talking about?

"Hey, Dawn, do you feel that?" Maggie asked after a moment.

"Feel what?" Dawn asked perplexed.

"I'm not sure but..." Maggie trailed off uneasily. "Can we just go back to the cell, please?"

Dawn worried about her and nodded.

          At the Summers home Autumn lay in Dawn's bed a few minutes later at nearly four in the morning. Fred sat at the foot of the bed while Gunn paced back and forth holding an axe.

Autumn looked at Fred. "I really can't sleep with your hunky, ebony boyfriend waving that axe around."

"Oh, sorry," Gunn apologized, putting the axe at his side then smiled at the compliment. "And thanks."

Autumn smiled back and snuggled into a pillow.

"Everything will be fine, honey," Fred assured her. "We won't let anything hurt you."

"I know," Autumn sighed then went into thought.

          Connor was in the living room, stretched across the couch with a soft cover on him, Jeff sat asleep in an armchair, a blanket on top of him as well, and Xander slept on the floor snoring soundly. Angel entered the room then followed by Spike.

Angel handed Connor a cup of water. "Here you go."

"Thanks," Connor grunted, sitting up and taking the cup.

"So what are we going to do?" Spike asked. "Watch the boy all night?"

"I don't need watching," Connor insisted firmly.

Angel looked at him. "Yeah, you do. Now shut up." He turned to Spike before Connor could say anything. "Whatever it takes."

"Pouf," Spike muttered, settling down in a chair.

"Do I get a say in _my_ fate?" Connor asked.

Angel stuffed a pillow in his face. "Go to bed."

Connor muffled something then took the pillow off his face. "I'm going to the bathroom." He gave Angel a glare. "_If_ that's all right with you."

Angel returned the glare but replied coolly, "Fine."

          Connor removed his blanket and headed upstairs to Buffy's bathroom. As he was going in Autumn headed out, causing them to bump into each other.

"Great," Autumn sighed. "This night, well, morning was just going so well already."

"You think _I'm_ happy?"

Autumn looked at him strangely. "Are you _ever_ happy? Seriously, though." Connor rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall. "Uh, didn't you have to make a tinkle?"

"No," the boy replied. "I just wanted to get away."

Autumn went over and leaned with him. "Join the club. At least you're used to the whole hell thing. My biggest worry has always been if my mom ruined my multi-colored t-shirt in the wash." Connor stood silent, looking away from her. "Oh, hey, Connor, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

Connor nodded slowly. "It's OK."

Autumn stood near him silently. "Connor?" He looked at her. "What's it like to have a father like Angel?"

He looked at her strangely. "What?"

"Well, it must be cool." Autumn sighed deeply. "Better than any human father."

Connor shrugged. "Sometimes good, sometimes annoying, sometimes... I want to make an escape."

Autumn giggled a little. "I bet Angel would never cheat on your family."

Autumn looked at him, "Escape? At least your father knows about this, this," she gestured about wildly. "This world," she finished. "He knows about what goes bump in the night. He goes bump in the night."

Connor scowled, "Yeah, but he also knows what hurts and what doesn't. He doesn't let me find out for myself. I think you have the better deal."

Autumn scoffed. "Your head has been in the whole darkness and vampire thing that you don't know what the real world is like." Autumn looked angry yet confused. "It's like in one moment your entire life is just one big, big..."

"Lie," Connor supplied.

A small smile appeared on the red head's face. "Yeah. You should know all about that."

"How do you know about—?"

"Fred knows all," Autumn replied in sort of a mysterious voice.

Connor slipped into Buffy's bedroom. "What do you think of all this?"

Autumn followed him. "What? The whole freakish woman coming after us and stabbing us open to make use out of our young blood?" Connor nodded. "After this slayer thing I'll buy anything. What about you?"

Connor sat down in a chair. "It's like every time something good happens something bad always follows."

Autumn offered him a smile. "Hey, everything will be OK. Fred said nothing would happen to us and I believe it."

Connor sat silently and just stared over at the wall.

          Down in the kitchen Willow snored softly, asleep at the kitchen table. Wesley was also asleep at the table, still wearing his glasses. Buffy, the only one awake, sipped at a large cup of coffee. She looked up as Angel entered.

"Hey," they greeted simultaneously.

Buffy gave him a small smile and gestured towards her coffee. "You want some?"

Angel nodded and joined her at the table. "Thanks."

Buffy poured him a cup, added sugar, and gave it to him.

Angel thanked her again and took a sip.

Buffy went back to her own drink. "You know it's been a long day _and_ night so if you're hungry—" A look from Angel cut her off. "Right. You're into blood. Good, sweet... blood. I might have some left over from one of Spike's visits."

Angel shook his head. "No, thanks." He sipped at the coffee. "I'm good."

"So what's it like being a father?" Buffy asked, starting up another conversation. "It can't be any worse than being Dawn's guardian and Connor seems like a nice kid in his own dark, grumpy kind of way."

Angel suddenly reached out and touched her hand kindheartedly, taking the slayer by surprise. "Buffy... why don't you just ask me what you really want to know?"

"What?" Buffy looked confused.

"I can sense that something is on your mind," he explained.

Buffy sighed and said lowly, "I want to know why you're here. This can't just be me helping your son because I _know_ you can handle that on your own. You barely pick up the phone, in fact you _don't_. It's Willow who calls you."

Angel released an unnecessary breath. "Why am I really here?" Buffy nodded. "I went through a lot with Cordelia. I think I just needed—"

"A nice, former but not forgotten shoulder to cry on?" Angel was quiet. Buffy squeezed his hand tenderly. "Well, you have it."

Angel looked up at her and smiled lightly.

Buffy smiled back and they both took a drink of their coffee.

          Back in Buffy's room Autumn and Connor had turned on the lights. Connor was still in his chair and Autumn stretched across the bed lazily. Connor seemed to stare at something and Autumn looked to see what it was. A small crack in the floor seemed to grow larger and large, along with Autumn's eyes. The ridhor pulled up out of the hole with a large growl.

Connor flinched.

Autumn raced for the door, getting it open. "Fred, Gunn, guys, it's in here! It's after us!"

Fred and Gunn rushed into the bedroom, Buffy, Angel, and some of the others behind them. Gunn swung his axe, taking a large chunk off of the demon, making it just growl louder.

Autumn thought of something and moved over to Connor. "Come on. We have to go."

"You mean run?" Connor asked.

Autumn shook her head, grabbed Connor, and leapt into the hole with him.

"Connor!" Angel exclaimed.

"Autumn!" Fred shouted after her.

The demon disappeared into the hole, closing it for good.

A/N: Yeah, stupid kids, jumping headfirst like that. Oh, well, what teen wouldn't? I would like to thank Pyro Bear for so much help with this chapter and Gidgetgirl for the previous chapter and for all the help with the plot. Thank you, guys. Please review.


	18. Chapter 18 Half Slayers

     POTENTIAL                                                 SECOND 

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: This story is almost done and I know we're all going to miss it. I liked the reviews I've gotten and I'd love to have more before this is over. Thanks.

                                                     CHAPTER 18

          Buffy, Angel, Fred, Gunn, Spike, and Giles, the ones who had run into Buffy's room, all stared stunned at Buffy's bare bedroom floor. Autumn and Connor had not only been sucked into a hole but they had willingly gone.

"What's going on?" Everyone turned to see that Jeff had appeared at the doorway. They all just moved passed him, heading downstairs. "Wait a minute." Jeff went after them. "I repeat, what's going on? Where's my sister?"

Willow stood at the foot of the stairs along with Wesley. "What happened?" the red haired witch asked.

"Ridhor, Autumn, Connor, jumping into hole, very stupid," Buffy replied vaguely, when she reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Oh," Willow nodded as if she understood. She turned to Wesley. "Did you catch any of that?"

Wesley just shrugged.

Fred walked down and stood next to Buffy. "The demon showed up again. Then Autumn and Connor, _willingly_ by the way, went with him."

Jeff pushed his way pass the adults. "Oh, sure. You explain it to _her_," he said, pointing a thumb at Willow.

"What now?" Gunn asked the group, his axe swung over his shoulder.

"We have to try to find them," Angel replied to Gunn in an "obviously" voice.

Wesley slowly removed his glasses. "What do you mean they went willingly?" he asked Fred.

Buffy cut in before Fred could answer. "She means they jumped into the hole like those kids did in... in... well, some movie in which kids jump in holes. That simple."

"Well, I could try a locator spell," Willow volunteered.

"I know how you can find them," Spike piped up. He gestured towards Gunn. "Ebony here took a chunk off of the big beastie."

Willow went up the stairs towards Gunn. "Well, can you show me big beastie's big chunk?"

Gunn nodded with a smile and led the way to Buffy's bedroom.

          Autumn and Connor's bodies shot through what felt like a long, hot never ending tomb of wild colors that disappeared before you got a good look at them. They crashed landed with a scream on a cold floor.

"That was worse than the Incredible Hulk roller coaster at Disney World," Autumn moaned, sitting up on her knees.

"Autumn!" The red head looked over at Maggie.

"Maggie," Autumn smiled, rushing over and giving the blonde a quick hug. "Oh, thank God you're OK."

"Tell me that you..." Dawn said to Autumn then looked down at Connor. "And _him_ have come to save us?"

Autumn looked around and realized that she and Connor had arrived in a prison cell. "Uh, that _was_ the original plan."

Dawn groaned whiningly and slumped down on the bench.

Connor stood. "Where are we?" he asked, glancing around.

"Well, this prison is coed," Maggie smiled. "Can't be that bad." The other three teenagers gave her a funny look. "What? I used to go to an all girl school and I've been stuck in here with Dawn for like forever."

          They all sighed deeply then heard what sounded like footsteps approaching the cell's bars. A tall, thin figured, blonde woman appeared at the front of the cell, dressed in a showy outfit.

Autumn's eyes grew a few sizes as she realized whom it was. "You! You're—"

"Your father's bitch?" the woman cut her off. "Yeah, I know. I go by Mal."

"This is impossible." Autumn's mind raced. "My father is not only cheating on my mother but he's cheating on her with a woman that's trying to kill me?"

Mal smirked. "Girl, your father's only use was me getting closer to _you_. By the way, I wouldn't be so relieved. Your dad bought my whole seduction thing hook, line, and sinker.'

Autumn glared. "You've ruined my life and you don't even care? Plus you're going to kill me?"

Mal thought about it. "You know that's a good point." She smiled brightly. "But not good enough. Sorry, honey, but if I don't kill you and take all your pretty blood then I can't have my own demon clan." Mal mock pouted. "So sad. Anyway, ciao." She turned and walked off.

Autumn grabbed the bars and tugged at them angrily. "You are such a valley girl, you... you... hoochie!"

"Hoochie?" Dawn questioned.

Autumn turned around and looked at her. "_You_ try thinking up an insult on the spot like that."

          As the sun rose at about six in the morning Willow was putting the finishing touches to a spell she was writing up. She sat at the coffee table with Jeff, Fred, Gunn, Xander, Angel, and Buffy all buzzing around.

Willow looked up at the small gathering with a smile. "I have it!"

Her exclamation brought Giles, Wesley, and Spike all into the living room.

"Three Brits all in a row," Jeff commented.

"You found it?" Buffy asked, going around the table towards Willow.

"Yep," Willow replied with a smile. "Now who's coming for the big rescue mission?"

"I am," Buffy, Angel, and Spike all seemed to volunteer at the same time.

"So am I," Jeff said.

"No, you're not," Spike told him quickly.

"Yes, I am," Jeff countered firmly. "That's my girlfr- Um, that's my sister. I have to help. Besides I was here first. I can go if I want to."

Angel had to admire the kid's fast persistence. Connor would just whine or battle his way into doing something, mostly just for the rush and the joy of fighting of it all, not because he cared.

"Who else?" Willow asked.

"I have to save Margaret," Giles replied simply.

Willow nodded and looked around the room at the others.

"I'm in," said Gunn, twirling his axe around a little.

"Watch that thing," Xander cautioned. He sighed. "I guess I have to go, too. Without Autumn around there really is no point in superhero debates."

"I should go," Fred said mostly to Gunn. "I mean if something happened to Autumn I'd feel kinda guilty. I _did_ say nothing would happen to her."

"That's my girl," Gunn smiled at her. "Good lookin' out."

Willow looked over at the only Brit who hadn't said anything. "Wesley?"

Wesley nodded. "I'm in."

"Great. Come on, guys." Willow moved to the middle of the living room floor, holding the piece of rotting flesh Gunn had cut off from the demon. "This is one of the spots where the ridhor appeared. Everyone circle me while I do the chant."

          The room did as they were told and formed a circle around Willow, who immediately began reading the spell she wrote. As soon as the words were said the piece of flesh Willow held seemed to glow brightly and form a large hole, swallowing all of them.

          Back at the prison cell Autumn and Maggie sat next to each other, huddled up in a corner, while Dawn and Connor sat on the bench. Dawn sat as far away from Connor as she could because, honestly, even though she had just met the boy, he was annoying her to tears.

Maggie looked over at Autumn, who seemed to be pretty gloomy. "Hey, don't worry, Autumn," Maggie tried to console. "It's all right, isn't it? I mean your father didn't _know_ she was using him."

Autumn shook her head slowly. "It doesn't help anything, Maggie. He still cheated on Mom. That was his own choice. It doesn't matter what Mal was trying to do because my dad still did what he did."

"Hey." Autumn looked over at Dawn. "Maybe things will work out."

Autumn fell silent, not really listening to her. After a moment she turned to Maggie. "Uh, Maggie, I wanted to tell you... about earlier—"

"It's OK," Maggie cut her off with a smile. "I understand."

"Friends?" Autumn smiled back.

"The very best," Maggie replied.

"Knock it off," Connor said, rolling his eyes in disgust at the mushy moment.

"Don't worry, Connor," Dawn soothed. "Maybe one day you'll have this thing known as a friend."

Connor scowled and turned his head away from all three girls.

"I still don't understand it," said Maggie. "What does she want with us?"  
  
"Willow explained it," Autumn stated. "She said Malfoy, my father's tramp, is out for our blood."

Both Maggie and Dawn looked alarmed.

"You care to explain that a little?" Dawn asked Autumn.

"Well, she's this old demon thing," Autumn tried to clarify. "She wants all of our blood mixed together so that she make some type of clan."

"Hold it," said Maggie. "This bloody twit wants to slice us open and drain out our juicy fillings?" She thought about something. "Now I know how a jelly donut feels."

Connor looked at them again and stood up. "I won't take this sitting down!" he said boldly. "There has to be a way out of here, anywhere."

"There's only the vent," Dawn said. "We tried it but it only goes one way."

"See this is just plain stupid," Autumn proclaimed, standing up. "We all have some type of power or special ability thing going on yet we can't use it."

"I don't," Maggie muttered sullenly.

Autumn knelt down to her. "Yes, you do. Maggie, look, I don't know how to explain it but we're like two halves of a whole."

Maggie looked confused. "What do you mean?"

Autumn sighed and tried to think of a way to explain it all, which was hard since it confused her as well. "We're kind of linked. You can sense evil and I can stop it, half slayers." Maggie looked at her in disbelief. "It's true."

Maggie smiled brightly. "Half slayers, together?" Autumn nodded with a smile of her own. "Oh, my God..." Maggie couldn't believe it.

A/N: Next up AI and the scoobies show up and the battle for Autumn, Maggie, Dawn, and Connor begins. (But, honestly, who cares about Connor?) Please review, everyone!


	19. Chapter 19 Pairings and Fights

     POTENTIAL                                                 SECOND 

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: This story is almost done and I know we're all going to miss it. I liked the reviews I've gotten and I'd love to have more before this is over. Thanks.

Warning: This chapter has silly villain goodness. In fact I think there is silly all around. You'll see and don't say that I didn't WARN you.

                                                     CHAPTER 19

          Autumn and Connor tugged at the bars of the prison cell when they became restless, attempting to just yank them off. Dawn watched them, thinking that it was hopeless. Maggie did large multiplication problems in her head just to take some of the stress off her.

          With a sudden rush of energy and power a portal opened up in what looked to be a very large basement throwing out Angel, Buffy, Spike, Giles, Wesley, Xander, Willow, Fred, Gunn, and Jeff, all of them falling to the floor with a thud.

"Gee, wasn't that fun?" Buffy commented dryly as everyone stood.

"Hey, Willow, where are we?" Angel asked the witch.

She shrugged. "I'm not sure but..." Willow glanced around. "It has a major creepy factor."

"Look let's just divide up and try to find them kids," Gunn said, still holding his axe.

Buffy turned to Angel. "You good to go?"

He nodded his reply.

Spike starred at Buffy strangely. "You're going with _him_?"

"What?" Buffy was caught off guard by the question then realized. "Yeah, I mean, you know, what does it matter?"

Spike turned away from her, a glare on his face.

Gunn wrapped an arm around Fred's waist. "Got my buddy."

Fred giggled girlishly.

Willow looked at Wesley. "Pals?"

Wesley smiled at her. "It'd be an honor," he replied diplomatically.

          When the pairings were made it went as follows: Buffy with Angel, Fred with Gunn, Willow with Wesley, Spike with Giles, much to Spike's dismay, and Jeff with Xander. After the pairing each team went off in a separate direction.

Buffy turned to Angel again when she was sure the others were far out of earshot. "I'm sorry about that... back there with Spike."

"It's OK," Angel shrugged.

They let a few moments of silence pass by.

"I guess you're really worried about Connor," Buffy started up again.

"Worried I'm going to strangle him," Angel replied darkly.

Buffy smiled softly. "Yeah, he and Autumn jumping into that hole, not so much with the smart."

"Yeah," Angel agreed softly. He looked at Buffy. "It's, uh, been a while since we talked. What have you been up to?"

"You know, the usual. Running, brooding, killing others like yourself."

Angel nodded approvingly. "Good to know and... brooding is fun."

"Oh, big fun," Buffy concurred humorously. "Who needs Disney Land when you can sit at home and, well, brood."

"Exactly."

Out of nowhere they both busted up with laughter.

"I forgot what it's like to hold a conversation with you," Angel said to the slayer when his laughs finally quieted.

"Fascinating much?"

"I was leaning more towards wacky." Buffy starred at him peculiarly. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I hurt your feelings?"

"No." Buffy smiled brightly. "_You_ said wacky."

They laughed again, continuing to talk. To Buffy Angel seemed to have changed. Before he left Sunnydale he didn't seem quite as loose or ebullient. Yet, even though he was still the broody bat she'd always know, Buffy liked the new Angel. Angel's feelings were mutual towards Buffy. She wasn't like the childish imp he had left behind, however she was still Buffy, fresh and alive. Angel extended his arm out to her, slowly putting it around her shoulders. Buffy didn't resist the small display of fondness. In fact it was rather endearing.

Willow and Wesley had taken darker halls than the others and it soon became harder to see. With a few recited words what looked like a small ball of light appeared in Willow's hand, hovering above her palm. Wesley looked at her, a little admiration in his eyes.

"I see you've become quite the Wicca," he noted.

Willow nodded. "Yeah. And for once I didn't make it rain by accident. At least I hope 'cause, you know, we're indoors and it's... hard to tell."

Wesley chuckled a little. "You haven't changed," he said to her.

Willow started to smile but her face fell. "Oh. That's not good is it?" Wesley chuckled again and told her it _was_ a good thing. Willow beamed. "So what do you think of Autumn? I mean she looks like a _really_ smart kid."

"Yes," Wesley agreed dryly. "More like smart-alecky kid. She was a fool to do what she did."

"Yeah, jumping into big, scary holes. I don't know her that well but I have to say it wasn't her brightest moment. But, Wesley?" Wesley looked at her. "You gotta admit it, it was kind of brave. Kind of shows that she's really becoming a slayer."

Wesley thought about it. She did have a point even though he was furious with the little red haired child. "I never thought getting back into it would be this hard."

"What? Becoming a watcher again? Was it easy with Faith or Buffy?" Wesley shook his head a little. "Then maybe it's not _supposed_ to be easy."

Wesley nodded slowly, understanding then sniggered. "You must admit, though, Willow. Neither Faith nor Buffy were fiery red heads."

Willow slapped his arm playfully. "Hey! We are not all bad, Mister. Even if I did try to, um, destroy the world."

Wesley released another laugh.

"What was that?" Fred gasped, clinging to Gunn's arm.

          Gunn and Fred's area was also dark, just not as dark as where Willow and Wesley were. Fred had been grabbing hold of Gunn at every little squeak or crack she heard.

Gunn put his axe in his other hand then slipped his free one around Fred. "Probably just the floor boards, babe."

Fred sighed a little. "I guess you're right. I mean it could just be a rat or—"

"Rat?" Gunn exclaimed, interrupting her. "Ain't nobody say nothin' about no rat. Where you see a rat?"

"Oh, Charles, I'm sorry," Fred apologized. "I just... I didn't mean it was a _rat_ type rat. I mean as in uh, low down dirty rat. Like in those gangster movies."

Gunn sighed with relief. "I knew that." He smiled at her and pulled her into a kiss.

Fred pulled back after a few seconds. "We have to find Autumn," she reminded him.

"And Connor," Gunn told her.

"Huh? Oh, right, Connor. Of course. You _know_ I love that kid," Fred said as they started to walk again. "It's just that to get on _Connor's_ good side you have to offer him a large plate of cookies and promise not to tell his father when he "accidentally" switches his blood with cranberry juice."

"And with Autumn?"

"Autumn's a sweetie. I mean before when she and Connor had that fight I know she didn't mean to hurt him. She just doesn't look like the violent type. Well, I guess she has to be if she's a slayer. I guess that's how slayers work anyway." Gunn suddenly kissed her again. "Um, would that be your way of telling me to shut it?"

The black man nodded. "Would you mind."

Fred smiled and quieted down.

          Giles and Spike's area had more light too it, even though it was mostly dim. Spike's patience slowly decreased as Giles kept calling Maggie's name, as if the girl would magically appear before him if he called her name a certain number of times.

"Give it up, man," Spike finally snapped. "The chit isn't just going to hear her name and come running."

"This is entirely my fault," Giles said. "Her parents let her come with me for a reason, thinking that I could keep her safe."

"Well, they were off." Giles looked at him. "Oh, I'm sorry, were you expecting compassion? My mistake."

Giles asked, "Are you _trying_ to say something, Spike?"

"You didn't pick Goldilocks's future. You're not the one that sent a big beastie after her. Besides from what I can she the chit can stand on her own two feet."  
  


"What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means cut the blasted apron strings a little. She's fifteen, not five," Spike said. "And, yes, even though she is a bit batty up there the girl has a good head on her shoulders. Too bad _you_ never see that."

Giles silence. Was this Spike, making sense?

          Xander and Jeff's area had the most light of all. The two of them found themselves heading up a thin flight of stairs. Xander had found out that Autumn's brother wasn't exactly the best debater when it came to superheroes.

"I guess all of this is freaking you out," Xander said to Jeff.

Jeff looked at him. "What?"

"Well, you know, your little sister being kidnapped by the ultimate boogie man and all."

Jeff shrugged. "Autumn can take care of herself. Besides nothing freaks me out. I'm big with the open-minded stuff. In fact I almost took on a Harry Potter craft thing with my friends but they backed out at the last minute."

"Hold on," said Xander. "You mean none of this freaks you? Not the slayer thing, the magic stuff, nothing?"

Jeff shook his head. "Nope. I always knew this stuff was out there. Well, not _this_ stuff but... stuff. I might be a kid but I'm a seventeen-year-old kid. I've been around."

"Yeah, probably toured the world on your bike."

Jeff rolled his eyes as they reached the top of the stairs.

Autumn looked up from where she sat next to Dawn. "I hear something."

"Don't tell me that woman's back," Connor groaned.

Xander and Jeff approached the bars then.

"Xander!" Maggie shot up from the floor with a smile. "We're saved! Emancipation at last!"

Autumn rolled her eyes amused then turned to her brother and Xander. "Just in time, even though you took your good sweet time."

"Jeff!" Dawn beamed, rushing over towards the prison bars. "Hey. I can't believe you came."

"I wouldn't let you down," Jeff told her sweetly.

Autumn felt like gagging. "Oh, how cute. Can we get _out_ of here now?"

"Hang on." Xander looked around for a way to release the young prisoners until he noticed it. Xander unlocked the bars and slid the door open. "There you go."

"I-It opens for the outside without a key?" Maggie asked in disbelief. "It _opens_ from the_ outside_?" She collapsed to her knees, ready to cry. "How the bloody, freaking heck is that possible?"

Dawn shrugged. "Well, Mal _is_ a blonde, can't be that bright.'

Maggie stood and glared at her. "I beg your pardon?" she said, folding her arms, her British accent very heavy.

Dawn couldn't believe what she had said. "Uh, I... I mean. You know. Not all blondes are bad. Just evil, loopy blondes who doors open from the outside."

Autumn groaned. "I don't believe this!" She turned to Jeff. "Not only is our father having an affair but he's having one with a total moron who is set out to kill us."

Jeff looked at her strangely. "What are you talking about?"

"Dad's, uh, hoochie. She's this Malfoy chic," Autumn explained.

Jeff's eyes widened. "_I_ didn't even see that coming."

"Ironic twists," said Xander. "Those are always fun."

"Is my dad here?" Connor asked, who had been completely silent.

"Yeah," Jeff told Connor. "And I think he plans on kicking your ass." He turned to Autumn. "And somebody _needs_ to kick yours."

Autumn rolled her eyes and flipped her hair. "Oh, please."

"Where are they, anyway?" Maggie asked.

          Downstairs, in the _largest_ room of the fortress, Malfoy sat in what looked like a cheap throne, while her companion, Duello rubbed her shoulders a little. Mal looked up at the tall man, both of them appearing to be quite young, yet centuries old. Duello was the only member of Mal's former clan that had stuck by her.

Mal smiled in delight as the ridhor demon squished across the large floor. "Oh, I have to have another one! I adore these ridhor demons."

"They make me nauseas," Duello said, going around and kneeling down to her to meet her eyes. "I still can't believe that little girl that thing captured was really Tucker's daughter."

"I knew it all along," Mal beamed arrogantly. "The man was a fool."

Duello looked at her strangely. "If you knew it all along why didn't you just ice out the old man and take his daughter right then and there?"

Mal was caught off guard by the question and squirmed in the chair. "You know... I, um, had a plan going."

"You didn't even know she was the slayer at first, did you?"

Mal pouted. "OK, I had no idea who Tucker's kids were. So what?"

"I knew it." Duello stood again. "It was just you looking for cheap sex."

"Hey!" Mal snapped. "It wasn't that cheap."

Duello rolled his eyes and leaned against her chair.

Malfoy's side double doors suddenly opened automatically, revealing Xander, Autumn, Jeff, Maggie, Connor, and Dawn. Mal leapt out of her seat as if she was outraged.

"What the hell?" she exclaimed. "How did _they_ get out?"

Duello sighed annoyed. "Haven't we talked about this, Mal? You said you were getting new locks for the cells."

Mal looked completely bewildered. "Um, doesn't sound like something I'd say."

Dawn glanced around. "Exactly how did we make it here?"

Xander shrugged. "That's just a big ol' puzzle."

"You are _not_ getting away," Mal stated.

"Oh, that is _such_ a cheap villain line," Maggie said, sounding quite American.

Mal looked outraged. "Ridhors, come to me," she seemed as if she chanted it instead of saying it.

Gaps in the floor stretched open, revealing nearly a dozen more of the ridhor demons.

"See now that's just gross," Autumn commented. "Do these things wash or did they just wiggle out of the ground? I don't get it."

          All of a sudden the rest of Mal's double doors opened and the pairings of Angel, Buffy, Fred, Gunn, Willow, Wesley, Giles, and Spike all stood at opposite ends of the room at the double doors.

Duello groaned soundly. "Damn these doors! You could have at least gotten _child_proof locks. I'm pretty sure they were included in the mortgage!"

"Shut up!" Mal snapped at him. "You haven't even paid rent in like two or three decades."

"See now I'm just confused," Gunn said.

"How did we all make it here at the same time?" Buffy asked.

"Luck of the Irish," Angel told her with a smirk.

Buffy look confused. "See now that doesn't even make any kind of—"

"Shut up already!" Mal cried, nearly throwing a tantrum. "Ridhor, do my bedding and crush these mortals. But spare the children... for now."

          The ridhor, without a second's hesitation, shot back and forth across the room like large mosquitoes, taking all of them by surprise as the ridhor usually dragged along like snails. Gunn announced that it was time for the big fight scene and they all sprung into action.

          All of the ridhor were strong but none of them showed a form of intelligence, which caused the good guys to have somewhat of an upper hand. Autumn looked over to see one ridhor slammed Jeff hard into a wall. As the red head rushed towards him another of the demon's grabbed her by the wrist.

          Autumn easily took her wrist back and swung several punches towards the ridhor's head, her hands covered in its disgusting blood. It suddenly grabbed her again and started to drag her off, Autumn struggling the entire time.

          Dawn and Maggie were having the same problem as they were bullied into a wall near Jeff by two of the ridhors. The two of them, along with Jeff were snatched up and carried towards the duo of Malfoy and Duello. Even Connor, who was fighting like an animal against the two of the demons. One took hold of his arms and the other grabbed his legs taking him to Mal and Duello.

"Finally, the little darlings are all here," Mal squealed then frown at each child. "Now I can kill them slowly and painfully." She turned to Duello. "You know what to do."

          Duello pressed down hard on Mal's throne, causing five medical tables to slow emerge from the floor circling the throne. The ridhor, with a lot of struggles from the kids, managed to strap all for teenagers to the tables. The adults down below were oblivious to it all, too busy having battles of their own.

Autumn fought against the straps that held her. "Let me go!" she shouted. "We're kids!"

"Kids who easily bleed," Dawn added.

Duello approached then, carrying a broad sword.

Maggie paled. "No! You don't want my blood. It's high in sugar!"

Connor just kept struggling, not bothering to plea like the others.

Jeff grunted. "What am _I_ doing here?" he grumbled to himself.

Mal got ready to approach each child starting with Connor. "The child of miracles, ironic, isn't it?" Connor glared. Mal moved on to Dawn. "The key. You should be honored. Without your blood there wouldn't be a way to spread my future clan around to other realms."

"You want a key?" Dawn asked crossly. "Why don't you get one with _chocolate_ filling?"

Mal ignored her then went towards Maggie. "You know I think it's best that _you're_ going to die. The whole sensing evil thing is really inconvenient for me."

"Could I at least get my last Hershey bar?" Maggie pleaded softly.

Mal considered it. "No," she replied bluntly then went towards Autumn. "The slayer. How can someone with such strength be so powerless?"

Autumn felt a fiery anger boiling up inside of her. She wanted more than anything to bust the straps that held her with every ounce of her strength and pound Mal's face into the ground.

"I swear," Autumn hissed. "You are _not_ going to get away with this."

Mal smirked. "Girlie, I already have." She looked at Jeff. "And, finally, the... the..." Mal thought for a minute. "What are you?"

"No real clue," Jeff told her. "Mind loosening these fastenings a little?"

Mal panicked then turned to Duello. "Something is wrong," she told him, making him approach her. "This child isn't the fifth."

Duello looked at Jeff. "He isn't?"

"No!" Mal snapped outraged. "There is another out there." She whined, "Where is it? I want that kid!"

"I hate to interrupted..." The two of them looked over at Autumn. "But I have an overpowering urge to kick some serious ass." She suddenly broke the straps that were on her legs and chest and leapt up from the table. "Who's with me?"

Connor did the same as Autumn and quickly stood in a fighting position. "I am!"

Dawn managed to slither out from under the straps, compliments of her thin form. "Ready for anything."

"Why didn't I think of that?" Maggie asked herself, seeing how Dawn escaped the straps. Maggie also slid out and hugged herself. "I'm still in one piece!"

"Good for you!" They all looked over at Jeff. "Now get me out of here."

"Oh, sorry." Autumn went over to her brother and snapped his straps in half. "There you go. Never say I never did anything for you."

"I do not believe this!" Mal pointed at the tables. "Re-strap yourselves now," she ordered lamely.

Autumn got into her face then. "Or in the alternative...?" She suddenly swung off and decked Malfoy in the face, immediately knocking her down. "How about we don't?"

          Duello swung his sword at her. Autumn grabbed hold of the sharp end, twirling it around and taking it as her own, which took Duello by complete surprise. Autumn took the flat end of the blade and clouted him with it, allowing him to join his partner in crime on the floor.

"Wow," Maggie smiled at her friend's actions. "Autumn don't play." Dawn and Jeff looked at her like she was crazy. "What? I heard it on a commercial."

Dawn looked down at the fight going on below. "Come on!"

          Without hesitation Dawn, Jeff, Maggie, and Connor went down to join the adults in the fight against the ridhor. Autumn watched Mal stand up, the teenaged girl smirking proudly.

"Had enough, Blondie?" Autumn asked cockily.

          Mal swung a punch at Autumn's jaw, which she barely felt. Autumn landed a hard kick to Mal's lower abdomen, only making her angrier. The fight was on between those two as they began to go blow for blow. Autumn slid to the floor and kicked Mal in the ankles, making her trip and crash on her back.

"How you like them apples?" Autumn taunted, standing up.

Duello snuck up behind and grabbed Autumn by the waist. "I was about to ask you the same thing," he whispered into her ear.

With one quick kick to his leg Autumn was released. She grabbed Duello's sword again and held up to his throat, telling him to back off. Autumn suddenly felt a _hard_ punch to the back of her head, catching her off guard, and making her fall into one of the medical tables. Malfoy grabbed the sword away from the red haired girl and held it to her neck.

"I think I've had about enough of you," Mal said though clenched teeth.

          Buffy, finally noticing what was going on after taking down a ridhor, rushed up to the scene. She grabbed Mal's shoulder, twirling her around.

"You know it's gonna be _really_ hard to unleash a clan without teen slayer here," Buffy pointed out. She immediately decked Mal in the face, making her fall once more.

Autumn smiled appreciatively. "Whoa. Thanks, Buffy."

Buffy shrugged. "Slayers gotta stick together I guess."

Duello started to attack again.

"No!" Mal suddenly exclaimed. Duello looked to see what she saw. The ridhor were all being destroyed, even the original one. "No!" Mal screamed out again.

"Looks like the big bad beasties have been beaten," Autumn said cleverly.

Buffy smirked. "Trying saying that three times fast."

"My babies," Mal whimpered. Anger formed over her face. "All right. That's it!" 

Her rage somehow caused large sparks of lighting to shoot out of her eyes. Soon the bolts of energy shot out from every part of her body as if she were self-destructing. Buffy and Autumn ran down to the others.

"I'd say it's time to go," Buffy said coolly.

"Ditto that," Autumn agreed.

"I'll get us out of here," Willow said, trying to remain calm. "Circle me like the last time."

          The large group did so as Mal's rage continued, lighting flashing everywhere. Willow quickly recited the necessary spell and they were all soon swallowed up into another hole, gone and safe.

A/N: Wow. This chapter defines long. I know a lot of you probably hate this fight scene and I don't blame you. I'm sorry but I'm terrible at describing fights. They're just too hard. I know the villains were very lame I think that's what I was going for with those two. Now it's 5: 30 in the morning. I'm probably going to miss a lot of good cartoons so you guys have to be super nice and review. Plus you can't be too mean because I stayed up all night writing this chapter for you guys. So be nice reviewers, not mean reviewers. Well, good night.


	20. Chapter 20 Just Fine

POTENTIAL                                                 SECOND 

                                               CHANCE

NOTE: I own none of the Scooby gang because they belong to mean old Joss.

A/N: Wow. It's the last chapter of this story... can you believe it? Kind of sad, huh? Well, I hope you guys like this last chapter. Fluffy goodness!

                                                     CHAPTER 20

          Buffy, Angel, Gunn, Fred, Wesley, Willow, Xander, Autumn, Jeff, Connor, Maggie, Dawn, and Giles all popped up out of Willow's hole like popcorn. They'd all made it out safely. About an hour later they were all scattered throughout the house. Buffy and Angel were in the kitchen, Wesley was upstairs, Willow, Fred, Gunn, Xander, Autumn, Dawn, and Jeff all sat down in the living room, Connor had wondered off to some room, and Giles and Maggie were in the dining room.

Xander patted Willow on the back. "Looks like your abra and kadabras are useful for more than just bring Buffy back to life."

"Yeah... that spell was flawless," Willow smiled then immediately pouted. "I just jinxed us so let's never speak of it again."

The room laughed softly.

Autumn looked towards Fred and Gunn. "So... I guess you guys are going back to LA, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess," Fred replied softly. "Even though, you know, we don't necessarily have to. Do you want us to?"

Autumn shook her head. "No. I really want you two to stay and Angel, too. Fred, you've been really nice. I could definitely use that right now."

"We'll stay," Fred said enthusiastically then looked over at Gunn. "Was that too fast?"

Gunn shrugged. "I don't care. I get the feeling we weren't going back, anyway?"

"What makes you say that?" Willow asked.

Gunn glanced in the direction of the kitchen. "Just a hunch."

Buffy and Angel sat at the kitchen table, hands linked on top the table.

"So you're heading back to LA?" Buffy asked.

Angel shrugged. "Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"I've been thinking about transferring AI."

Buffy raised an amused eyebrow. "And how long have you been thinking of this?"

"Yesterday?" Angel smirked.

"Angel, this isn't funny," Buffy said seriously. "I mean I don't do mixed signals, well, I do them just hate them, now come on. I want to know where this leads us."

"We can give it another try," Angel told her simply.

"Of course." Buffy smirked. "Because, you know, I planned on clubbing you over the head and dragging you back to my cave, anyway."

"You getting physical already?" Angel joked.

Buffy slapped his wrist playfully, only getting a laugh out of him.

          Angel went around the table and took her hand, guiding her up. Buffy looked into his brown eyes as they slowly moved in for a zealous kiss. Unknown to either of them Spike stood at the doorway watching it all, a spark of anger in his eyes.

Dawn walked up. "Hey, Spike, you—" She stopped at the doorway, seeing what he was so involved in. "Oh." Dawn glanced at Spike. "I guess Buffy and Angel are..."

"I know," Spike interrupted her, no emotion in his voice.

"Are you OK?" Dawn asked him.

"Sure, nibbles." Spike finally looked away from the kitchen. "I'll live. Always do."

"Hey." Dawn turned around and saw Jeff.

"Hey," she smiled. Jeff walked up and whispered something in his ear. "Sure."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "Sure? Sure what? What sure?"

Dawn smirked at him. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Before Spike could say anything Connor passed by them, going into the kitchen. A look of disgust crossed his face as he saw Angel and Buffy kissing each other. The thick haired teenager cleared his throat soundly. Buffy and Angel finally broke apart looking over at him.

"Oh, hey, Connor," Buffy greeted.

Connor waved his hand a little.

"You mind?" Angel asked his son.

"Angel." Buffy slapped his arm again.

"What's going on?" Connor asked, sticking his hands into his jeans pockets.

"New beginning," Angel replied simply.

"Oh." Connor shrugged. "Whatever."

          Wesley, stepping out of the bathroom, headed towards the stairs then stopped and turned around. The British man went out and stood in the middle of the hall.

"Cordelia!" he suddenly called out loudly. "Cordelia! Cordelia Chase!"

"Hey." Wesley spun around to see Cordelia standing right there. "Higher being, only need to call once. Y'know, like those angels on Charmed."

"Whatever. I have an answer for you and the watchers council."

Cordelia folded her arms. "Um, drum roll, please?"

"Tell them that I'll take the honor."

"Really?" Cordelia raised an eyebrow. "OK. But you know you could have just said I'll take the job. Don't be all... British-y." A glow appeared around her and she rose up towards the ceiling vanishing.

Willow came upstairs then. "Wesley? What's going on up here? I thought I heard you call for Cordelia Chase then you were talking to someone."

"Just making something official," Wesley told her.

Willow nodded, obviously clueless. "That's great, Wesley. Um, good for you."

"Thank you, Willow."

The duo shared a smile.

          Maggie strayed from the kitchen and stood by the front door, cup of coffee in hand. As she put it closely to her lips, ready to take a long sip of the delicious beverage Giles walked up.

Maggie put the cup away from her lips. "Yes, I confess. I've been dying for a cup. I blame it on American values."

Giles just smiled at her. "Go ahead. I suppose we can let it by this once."

Maggie beamed at him and took a soothing taste of the coffee. "Delicious." She looked at Giles. "What brought on the pleasant change?"

"Oh, nothing really. I just figured that if you can handle being locked in a cell and keeping your cool then you deserve a little reward."

Maggie smiled sheepishly. "I didn't exactly keep my cool. I nearly lost my bloody mind until Autumn showed up. She's a good friend when she's not all loopy in the head."

"Yes, loopy teenaged girls. Don't you hate those?" Giles asked dryly.

"Absolutely," Maggie agreed. "I mean—" She caught on then. "Hey, what are you trying to say here?"

"Nothing," Giles replied, turning away with a smirk.

Maggie went after him. "Uncle Rupert! Uncle Rupert, get back here." Maggie followed him into the living room.

"Autumn," Jeff said to his sister.

"What is it?"

"What time is it?" Jeff asked.

Maggie glanced at a clock. "I read 8 AM."

"Why?" Autumn asked Jeff.

"Because it's morning and Mom and deadbeat don't have a clue where we are," Jeff pointed out nonchalantly.

Autumn gasped. "Jeff! Why didn't you call Mom?"

"Why didn't _you_?" Jeff shot back.

"I was trying to be world save-ish!" Autumn yelled at him.

"Kids?" Gunn interrupted their fight. "Need a ride?"

"Yes," Jeff and Autumn replied simultaneously.

"I'll go with you," Maggie volunteered then looked at Giles. "Can I?"

"Of course," her uncle nodded.

          Gunn borrowed Angel's keys and Autumn, Jeff, and Maggie all filed into the car. As they drove along Autumn decided that her parents were probably too busy throwing things at each other to even notice that the kids were missing. As Gunn got to Autumn and Jeff's block they saw four police cars standing outside of their house, officers buzzing around. Both Autumn and Jeff's jaws dropped open as they stepped out of the car, Maggie with them.

"Wow," the British girl looked around in awe.

"Who died?" Jeff wondered.

Gunn chuckled. "You two are in hot water."

"Only if it's a hot tub," Autumn told him. "Thanks, Gunn." She ran up to her house.

Jeff went after her and Maggie decided to follow.

Autumn entered the already open door of the house to see her parents talking to one of the officers.

"Mom?" Autumn called out as Jeff and Maggie approached.

Mister and Mrs. Tucker turned and rushed up to the kids.

"Where the hell have you been?" Mrs. Tucker demanded.

"Well..." Autumn had to think. "I was  sleeping over at Maggie's when her phone went out and Jeff was... at someone's house."

"Yeah!" Jeff agreed quickly.

"Exactly," Maggie added.

Mrs. Tucker raised an eyebrow at her. "Who are you?"

"Um, that would be Maggie," Autumn told her mother.

"You were both stupid," Mr. Tucker snapped at Autumn and Jeff.

Autumn folded her arms crossly. "Really? Well, let me tell you something, _Dad_. I know Jeff and I screwed up, I know we were insensitive, but guess what? At least we don't cheat on the people we love, move around with some hoochie who turns out to be like a million years old, and then that same hoochie turns around and tries to kill me!"

"I knew it," was all Mrs. Tucker said. "Well, except for that killing thing. Honey, are you feeling all right?"

Autumn groaned annoyed.

"So then it's true?" Jeff asked his father.

Mr. Tucker turned away. "Yes. And I hope you all have a wonderful time here in Sunnydale. I'm not about to stay here a minute longer with any of you. I'm going back to New York."

Mrs. Tucker, Jeff, and Autumn all stood frozen.

Autumn flipped her hair, turned around, and stormed outside.

Maggie, worried, went after her. "Autumn?" Maggie sat down with her on the stairs. "Autumn, are you all right?"

Autumn counted to ten in her head and a small smile crept across her face. "You know what, Maggie? I'm going to be fine..." Maggie starred at her strangely. "Just fine."

          Maggie was still confused but just nodded with a little smile of her own. Autumn and Maggie rested against the stairs, watching the police cars, half slayers but friends forever.

A/N: Well, there you have it. It's done. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did. Oh, and there is no need to be sad, either. There will be a sequel called Final Fifth. Autumn is getting much closer to Wesley, AI and Scoobies, and the whole slayer thing. More Giles and Maggie fluff. Plus the battle for Dawn, Connor, Autumn, Maggie, and (?) rages on. And the only place you can catch it is right here!

Second A/N: Thanks goes out to Gidgetgirl because without her the plot wouldn't have been as good. But, more than anyone, I want to thank Pyro Bear. She gave me the encouragement to keep writing this and she helped me out a great deal. Thanks!


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